Cyclospora Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Cyclospora Blog

Cyclospora is a parasite composed of one cell, too small to be seen without a microscope. The organism was previously thought to be a blue-green alga or a large form of Cryptosporidium. Cyclospora cayetanensis is the only species of this organism found in humans. The first known human cases of illness caused by Cyclospora infection (that is, cyclosporiasis) were first discovered in 1977. An increase in the number of cases being reported began in the mid-1980s, in part due to the availability of better diagnostic techniques. Over 15,000 cases are estimated to occur each year in the United States. The first outbreak in North America occurred in 1990 from contaminated water. Since then, several outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been reported in the U.S. and Canada, many associated with eating fresh fruits or vegetables. In some developing countries, cyclosporiasis is common among the population and travelers to those areas have become infected as well.

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Cyclospora Infection or Cyclosporiasis (sigh-clo-spore-EYE-uh-sis)

Cyclospora cayetanensis (SIGH-clo-SPORE-uh KYE-uh-tuh-NEN-sis) is a parasite composed of one cell, too small to be seen without a microscope. The first known human cases of illness caused by Cyclospora infection (that is, cyclosporiasis) were reported in 1979. Cases began being reported more often in the mid-1980s. In the last several years, outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been reported in the United States and Canada.

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Cyclospora

• Cyclospora [SIGH-clo-SPOR-uh] infection is a newly emerging parasitic illness that can cause severe diarrhea.
• People most likely get cyclospora infection by eating food or drinking water that was contaminated with stool from an infected person.
• Cyclospora infection is treatable with antibiotics.
• Cyclospora infection can probably be prevented by avoiding food or water that might be contaminated with stool.

Cyclospora infection is a rare infection of the intestines that can cause severe diarrhea.

What is the infectious agent that causes cyclospora infection?

Cyclospora infection is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic one-celled parasite.

How do people get cyclospora infection?

Cyclospora is different from many other organisms because it is not infectious when it is passed in the stool of an infected person. Cyclospora needs days or weeks after being passed in a bowel movement to become infectious. Therefore, it is unlikely that the parasite is passed directly from one person to another. People most likely get Cyclospora infection by ingesting food or water that was contaminated with stool from an infected person. It is unknown if animals can be infected and pass infection to people.

In 1996, a large outbreak of cyclospora infection in the United States and Canada was caused by imported raspberries. It is not clear how the fruit became contaminated, but it might have happened when fruit touched the ground or when contaminated water was sprayed over fruit fields by sprinkling systems.

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