Cases of the foodborne parasite cyclosporiasis, which can cause severe, sometimes explosive, diarrhea, have doubled in Sarasota County and tripled in neighboring Manatee County, according to Florida Department of Health data released Thursday, July 30, for the week ending July 25.
Sarasota County has four confirmed cases, up two from the previous week.
Manatee County has six confirmed cases, up four from the previous week.
Miami-Dade County has reported the most with 40 cases, up seven from the week before, according to Florida Department of Health data, while Orange County added 15. Lee County reported 23 cases, and Broward shows 22.
Cases were reported for the first time in Bay, Jackson, and Nassau counties, Florida Department of Health data showed.
Thousands more cases of the foodborne infection caused by the Cyclospora parasite are pouring in across the country.
There have been 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases of the illness since May 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its weekly update on Tuesday, July 28, a more than 2,500 increase since the week before. Cases have also now been recorded in 45 states, up from 41 last week.
More than 11,500 additional cases, primarily in Michigan and Ohio, have been reported but not yet been confirmed by laboratories, the CDC said.
There have been 423 hospitalizations and no deaths, per the agency.
See map of states with cyclosporiasis cases
Is there a cyclosporiasis outbreak in Florida?
As of July 25, the Florida Department of Health has reported 254 cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1, out of a total of 264 reported cases this year.
State and federal officials have not confirmed whether the state's cyclosporiasis cases are linked to any specific outbreak. The FDOH has reported an average of 246 cases of cyclosporiasis every year from 2015 through 2025, with a notable rise in cases in the last few years.
Florida's warm climate and year-round access to fresh produce make it especially vulnerable, the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine said, with a seasonal rise in cyclosporiasis during late spring and summer.
There were 210 cases reported last year and 222 in 2024, data show. Cases surged over 500 in both 2019 and 2022.
Cases by county since May 1, with number of increase since previous week:
- Alachua County: 4 (+1)
- Bay County: 7 (+7)
- Brevard County: 7 (+4)
- Broward County: 22 (+9)
- Collier County: 6 (+4)
- Columbia County: 1
- Duval County: 6 (+2)
- Escambia County: 3 (+2)
- Flagler County: 3 (+1)
- Gadsden County: 1
- Hernando County: 1
- Highlands County: 2
- Hillsborough County: 8 (+4)
- Jackson County: 1 (+1)
- Lake County: 4
- Lee County: 23 (+7)
- Leon County: 4 (+3)
- Manatee County: 6 (+4)
- Marion County: 3 (+1)
- Martin County: 1
- Miami-Dade County: 40 (+7)
- Monroe County: 1
- Nassau County: 1 (+1)
- Okaloosa County: 4 (+1)
- Orange County: 21 (+15)
- Osceola County: 8 (+1)
- Palm Beach County: 10 (+4)
- Pasco County: 5 (+2)
- Pinellas County: 11 (+6)
- Polk County: 7 (+1)
- Santa Rosa County: 4 (+2)
- Sarasota County: 4 (+2)
- Seminole County: 5
- St. Johns County: 7 (+3)
- St. Lucie County: 3 (+1)
- Sumter County: 2
- Volusia County: 8 (+3)
- Wakulla County: 1
- Walton County: 2 (+1)
Who is getting cyclospora infections in Florida?
Florida's 254 victims of cyclospora infections are all ages from the 15-19 age range and up, FDOH data showed, including three people 85 years of age or older.
Of those cases, 155 were acquired in Florida, 20 were acquired in another state, and 38 were acquired outside the country. The source of 41 of the cases was unknown.
Where is the cyclospora outbreak coming from?
Investigations by the Food and Drug Administration, the CDC, and state health officials have linked the outbreak to California produce supplier Taylor Farms, which issued a voluntary recall on July 17 of iceberg lettuce products from Taylor Farms de Mexico. .
The lettuce recalled was sold in retail stores, served in restaurants, and distributed to food service customers. Taco Bell, which was linked to outbreaks in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, removed all Taylor Farms lettuce at select restaurants, and Walmart pulled some bags of Marketside Bagged Iceberg Salad and Shredded Iceberg Salads, distributed by Taylor Farms. The lettuce had been sold in stores in 27 states.
Does cyclospora cause vomiting? What are the symptoms of cyclosporiasis?
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis may vary, according to the CDC, but watery diarrhea is the most common. Others include loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue.
Some people may also experience vomiting, body aches, headaches, low-grade fever, and other flu-like symptoms. Others may show no symptoms at all.
Symptoms can begin to show from two days to two weeks or more after infection, the CDC said. Without treatment, symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to a month or longer.
If symptoms persist, contact your health care provider.
How to avoid cyclospora
The single best way to avoid the illness is to not eat food connected with it, the CDC said. That means avoiding foods linked to outbreaks, and thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking, even if it is labeled pre-washed.
Firm fruits and vegetables, such as melons and cucumbers, should be scrubbed with a clean produce brush. Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating.
However, since washing alone may not be enough to remove the parasite, the CDC recommends cooking produce to a temperature of at least 158 degrees.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
(This story was updated to change or add a photo or video.)
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Cyclosporiasis cases double in Sarasota, triple in Manatee
