Illinois Residents Warned About Mysterious Parasite Before July 4 Travel

If you live in Illinois and are getting ready to head out of town for the Fourth of July holiday, you might want to pay a little extra attention to what you're eating. Illinois is in the midst of a cyclosporiasis outbreak, and health officials still do not know who or what to blame for it.

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What Is Cyclosporiasis?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating a concerning outbreak of Cyclospora, a parasite that causes an illness called cyclosporiasis, and trust me when I say you do not want to catch it.

Symptoms of cyclosporiasis include:

• Explosive, watery diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue
• Low-grade fever

Essentially, cyclosporiasis is the stomach flu on steroids and symptoms can last anywhere from several days to months, but that's not even the worst news I have to share with you.

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Outbreak of Cyclosporiasis in Illinois

NewsNation is reporting that at least 145 people in 20 states have gotten sick from cyclosporiasis recently, and an alarming number of those cases are located in Illinois.

Ready for the really bad news? Health officials still haven't figured out exactly what's causing Illinois' outbreak, and that is a major concern.

Normally people become ill from cyclosporiasis after ingesting food or water contaminated by feces (gross!) and often after traveling to a tropical or subtropical area.

Here comes the problem...

None of the people who became ill recently have reported any international travel, so the contaminated food source is likely somewhere much closer to home. The CDC and FDA are hard at work trying to identify what food may be responsible, but in past years produce like cilantro, basil, raspberries, lettuce, and bagged salads have been the culprit, so be extra cautious.

Thankfully, this current cyclosporiasis outbreak isn't severe enough to cancel your holiday plans, but make sure you wash your hands often, and rinse all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.

If you develop severe diarrhea that lasts for several days over the next few weeks, contact your doctor immediately for testing and treatment.