US cyclospora outbreak tops 18,000 possible cases in 45 states
What's new: The CDC has confirmed 6,707 infections, logged 423 hospitalizations and still has not identified the source.
A US outbreak of cyclosporiasis has spread to 45 states, with more than 18,000 possible cases and at least 6,707 confirmed infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The intestinal illness is caused by the parasite cyclospora and typically brings severe watery diarrhea. The CDC said 423 patients have been hospitalized and that no deaths have been reported. Michigan has recorded more than 10,000 cases, the highest state total, while Ohio, New York, North Carolina and Illinois have also reported large numbers. Investigators have not yet found the source, though earlier outbreaks were linked to raw produce. The CDC expects case counts to keep rising as more reports are processed.