At least 164 people in Texas have Cyclopora infections, according to the latest update from the Texas Department of State Health Services. An increase in cases of cyclosporiasis has been reported from counties all over the state since mid-June. Dallas county has been hit hardest with 35 cases, Tarrant has reported 18, Harris has 13, Bexar and Collin both have 11. These counties include San Antonio and the Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan area.
By county, the cases are as follows: Aransas 1, Bexar 11, Camp 2, Collin 11, Comal 3, Dallas 35, Denton 8, El Paso 1, Ellis 4, Erath 3, Fort Bend 2, Galveston 1, Gonzales 1, Harris 13, Hays 1, Hidalgo 1, Hood 1, Hunt 1, Jefferson 1, Johnson 2, Kaufman 3, Kendall 1, Lee 1, Lynn 1, McLennan 1, Montgomery 2, Navarro 1, Nueces 2, Parker 2, Rockwall 2, San Patricio 2, Somervell 1, Sutton 1, Tarrant 18, Travis 6, Trinity 1, Webb 1, Williamson 4, and Wise 1. Ten additional cases are pending or from unknown counties.
A food source for the outbreak has not yet been determined. Last year, a cyclospora outbreak in Texas sickened more than 270 people. The food source for many of those cases was identified as cilantro imported from Mexico that was served at restaurants and sold at a grocery store. The names of those establishments were never released.
Cyclosporiasis symptoms can last up to two months and include diarrhea that is often frequent, watery or explosive, abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. Symptoms such as vomiting, body aches, low-grade fever are also possible. The infection is normally treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, also known as Bactrim, Septra, or Cotrim. Sulfamethoxazole is a sulfa drug and those with allergies to sulfa cannot take it.
