Cyclosporiasis Illnesses in the United States, 2023 - 2023 Domestically Acquired Cases of Cyclosporiasis - CDC

Investigation Details

This is an update on the number of cyclosporiasis illnesses acquired in the United States with onset on or after April 1, 2023. Cases continue to be reported.

No specific food items have been identified as the source of most of these illnesses. State and local public health officials are interviewing people with cyclosporiasis to find out what foods they ate before getting sick.

As of July 25, 2023, a total of 1,063 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in people who had not traveled outside the United States during the 14 days before they got sick have been reported from 35 jurisdictions, including 34 states and New York City. This is an increase of 482 cases since the last update on July 13, 2023.

Sick people range in age from 2 to 96 years, with a median age of 50, and 58% are female. The median illness onset date is June 8, 2023 (range: April 1 to July 17).  Of 1,038 people with information available, 79 have been hospitalized. Zero deaths have been reported.

The total number of laboratory-confirmed cases reported since April 1, 2023, includes 20 cases in Georgia and Alabama linked to an outbreak associated with raw imported broccoli.  Although FDA and state and local partners conducted traceback investigations, there was not enough information to identify a specific type or producer of the broccoli.

• The broccoli outbreak appears to be over. There is no indication at this time that broccoli continues to be a source of illness for other cyclosporiasis cases being reported in the United States.

Multiple potential clusters of cases are being investigated by state and local public health authorities, CDC, and FDA. No specific food(s) have yet been identified as the cause of these clusters, and investigations to identify a potential source (or sources) are ongoing.

Where Sick People Lived

This map shows where the 1,063 people with cyclosporiasis acquired in the U.S. since April 1, 2023, lived. Cyclosporiasis illnesses may not be limited to these states with known illnesses, and the true number of people sick with cyclosporiasis is likely higher than the number reported.  This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Cyclospora.

* These data include case data that have been reported directly to the Cyclospora surveillance program at CDC; case counts may not match exactly with what is listed in the Nationally Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System tables. New York State includes case reports from New York City. In Pennsylvania, cases are reported voluntarily. Data are preliminary and subject to change. For questions related to the number of cases reported in each state, contact that state's health department.