Highlights
- Cyclosporiasis cases have surpassed 1,000 nationally as of early July 2026, with Arizona reporting infections.
- The parasite causes explosive diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms that can recur multiple times.
- Health officials believe the true case count is higher, as some infected people recover without a formal diagnosis.
- The CDC and multiple news outlets including CNN and NBC News are tracking the outbreak's spread across several states.
Cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that can cause explosive diarrhea, is spreading across the United States this summer, with Arizona among the states reporting cases, according to 12 News. More than 100 cases had been reported nationally at the time of the 12 News report, though officials believe the actual number is higher because some people recover without being diagnosed.
The national case count has since grown substantially. USA Today reported July 7 that cases had topped 1,000, and AZ Family reported the same day that one state alone had surpassed 700 cases, a count that quadrupled from roughly 170 in less than a week.
The CDC's cyclosporiasis surveillance page tracks the illness, which is caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite. Symptoms have a tendency to wax and wane, returning one or more times, according to reporting by Gizmodo citing the CDC.
NBC News and CNN are both tracking the outbreak. Arizona residents experiencing prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms should contact a health provider, as the illness requires a specific lab test to diagnose.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- 12News retrieved 09/07/2026 20:05
- usatoday.com retrieved 09/07/2026 20:05
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 09/07/2026 20:05
- gizmodo.com retrieved 09/07/2026 20:05
- cdc.gov retrieved 09/07/2026 20:05
- nbcnews.com retrieved 09/07/2026 20:05
- cnn.com retrieved 09/07/2026 20:05
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 09/07/2026 20:05. Every claim traces to a source.
