CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi health officials are warning residents about a sharp rise in cyclospora cases this summer, as the intestinal parasite continues to spread across Texas and the rest of the country.
The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District has confirmed 18 cases so far this year — compared to just one case during the same period last year.
"This year up until this time we have documented 18 cases here in our community, for the same time frame last year we had one case," Public Health Director Dr. Anita Kurian said.
Unlike typical food poisoning, cyclospora is not spread from person to person. It spreads through contaminated food and water, and the illness it causes — cyclosporiasis — can last far longer than a standard stomach bug.
"With cyclosporiasis, the watery diarrhea that can be very frequent and explosive at times can last longer, from weeks to even months," Kurian said.
Diarrhea is not the only symptom. Patients can also experience loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, bloating, fatigue and sometimes a low-grade fever.
Past outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce commonly found in most kitchens.
"Outbreaks in the past associated with cyclospora has been linked to fresh produce like basil, cilantro, lettuce, snow peas, raspberries," Kurian said.
Health officials say thorough washing is the most effective defense against the parasite.
"Wash your fresh produce under running water and scrub your hard surface produces thoroughly before cutting into them," Kurian said.
Experts also recommend washing hands thoroughly when handling food.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
