Parasitic-Illness Outbreak Includes Cases in Louisiana
Louisiana is among 17 states included in a new CDC surveillance count for cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora.
The update has drawn attention because 145 people were reported sick after acquiring the illness in the United States between May 1 and June 16, 2026. Of those cases, no deaths were reported, but 20 people were hospitalized.
CDC Says This Is Not Yet One Confirmed Outbreak
The CDC says there is not currently evidence of one single multistate outbreak connecting all of the cases. Instead, health officials are investigating several possible clusters and working to determine whether any may be connected to a shared food source.
Louisiana appears on the CDC’s map of states where people with reported cases live. That does not necessarily identify where a person was exposed, and it does not mean there is one confirmed Louisiana-specific source.
What Is Cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora. People can become sick after consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite.
Cases tend to increase during warmer months, with the CDC identifying May through August as the typical seasonal period for the illness.
Symptoms Can Last for Weeks
The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. Other possible symptoms include stomach cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, gas, low-grade fever, headache, and body aches.
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Symptoms often begin about one week after exposure, though they can start sooner or take two weeks or longer to appear. Without treatment, symptoms may last for days, weeks, or longer, and they can sometimes improve before returning.
The CDC recommends contacting a healthcare provider for persistent symptoms, since testing and treatment decisions should be made by a medical professional.
What Louisiana Residents Can Do
While investigators continue looking for possible links between cases, the CDC recommends basic produce-safety steps at home:
- Wash hands before and after handling fruits and vegetables.
- Rinse produce under running water before eating or preparing it.
- Remove damaged areas from fruits and vegetables.
- Refrigerate cut produce promptly.
At this point, no specific food item has been publicly identified as the source of all reported cases.
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