Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Spreads Across U.S.: What You Need to Know

Each summer, the American food system reveals its quiet vulnerabilities, and this season a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora is doing the revealing. Across multiple U.S. states in 2026, domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis — a diarrheal illness carried on contaminated produce — have risen to outbreak levels, drawing the attention of the CDC and public health officials nationwide. The illness is real and spreading, yet the wisdom offered by experts is ancient in its simplicity: wash what you eat, cook when you can, and know when to seek care. In the long chain between farm and tab