Illinois is reporting cyclospora cases this summer, with between 11 and 30 people sickened since the start of May. The CDC is still looking for a common source as it investigates several illness clusters across multiple states.
Illinois and New York and Texas
Illinois now sits among the states with the highest reported case totals nationwide. Only New York and Texas have reported similar or higher numbers so far, placing Illinois near the top of the current count even though the source has not been pinned down.
Cyclospora can cause watery diarrhea and frequent, sometimes explosive bowel movements. The illness can also bring vomiting, body aches, headaches, and a low-grade fever, and symptoms can last for weeks or even months if left untreated.
CDC and FDA investigation
The CDC, FDA, and state health departments are investigating several clusters across multiple states. The parasite spreads when people ingest food or water contaminated with feces, and it can survive routine chemical disinfection and sanitizing methods that work against some other germs.
That leaves practical prevention focused on avoiding food or water that may be contaminated with stool. Travelers visiting areas where the parasite is more common are advised to take extra precautions, and people can become infected more than once and develop symptoms again.
May through August
Cyclosporiasis cases typically rise in spring and summer, and the annual season runs from May through August. Some people recover without treatment, but the current investigation is still active and the cluster pattern has not yet led investigators to a common source.
For readers in Illinois, the immediate takeaway is simple: the state is already part of one of the larger reported case totals, and the search for the source is still open. Until that piece is found, the safest move is to avoid food or water that could have been contaminated.
