A cyclospora outbreak that sickened more than 304 people in 19 states during the summer months was the largest multistate food poisoning outbreak of 2014 based on number of people sickened. The food source for the cases in all states but Texas was never discovered. Similarly, in a 2013 cyclospora outbreak that sickened 643 people in 25 states, a food source was only identified in Iowa, Nebraska and Texas.
In both outbreaks, Texas reported with most cases 270 in 2013 and 164 in 2014. And, in both years cilantro imported from Mexico was identified as the source of illnesses there.
The other states reporting cases were: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington.
Cyclospora is a parasite normally found in tropical or sub-tropical regions. If ingested in its mature state, the parasite causes an infection called cyclosporiasis. Only about 150 of these infections are typically reported nationwide each year, most of which are associated with travel.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis can last two months and include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, body aches, low-grade fever, and other flu-like symptoms. Treatment with the antibiotic combination Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), sold under the brand names Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, can clear up the infection.
