US OUTBREAK SURVEILLANCE
Track the outbreak.
Know the parasite.
Cyclopalypse maps where disease is spreading across the US — with a spotlight on Cyclosporiasis, the recurring foodborne parasite most people have never heard of. Plus live layers for Ebola, COVID-19 and Hantavirus.
PRIORITY DISEASECyclospora cayetanensis · parasite
The foodborne parasite hiding in your fresh produce.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. In the US it spreads almost entirely through fresh produce — basil, cilantro, salad mixes, berries — contaminated with the parasite. Outbreaks recur every year and are widely under-recognized.
How it spreads
Contaminated fresh produce
Incubation
~1 week
Peak season
May – August
Person-to-person?
No
Watch for these symptoms
- Watery diarrhea (often explosive, weeks-long if untreated)
- Loss of appetite and unintended weight loss
- Stomach cramps, bloating and increased gas
- Nausea, fatigue, and low-grade fever
- Relapsing symptoms that can wax and wane for weeks
How to protect yourself
- Wash all fresh produce thoroughly under running water
- Be cautious with imported fresh herbs and pre-packaged salad mixes
- Treatment is antibiotics (TMP-SMX) — see a doctor for prolonged watery diarrhea
- Routine washing helps but does not fully guarantee removal — source safety matters
Check your state
Also tracked
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SARS-CoV-2 · virus
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Ebola Virus Disease
Ebolavirus · virus
A rare, severe hemorrhagic fever — primarily a global threat.
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Hantavirus (HPS)
Orthohantavirus (Sin Nombre) · virus
A rare rodent-borne virus of the American West.
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