County has nine cases of explosive diarrhea parasite

The Union County Health Department (UCHD) has confirmed that, as of July 15, there have been nine local cases of Cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite.

The U.S. is currently under an outbreak of Cyclosporiasis cases that have been often linked to travel from tropical and subtropical areas. Despite this, domestic outbreaks do happen, often linked to eating fresh produce contaminated with the parasite.

“The most common symptoms of Cyclosporiasis are watery diarrhea and frequent, sometimes explosive bowel movements,” said Jennifer Thrush, Director of Communications at UCHD. “Stomach cramping, bloating, increased gas and fatigue are also common symptoms. Vomiting and fever are less common s…

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