New York cyclosporiasis outbreak prompts warning on symptoms, testing, treatment

New York health officials warned on July 13 that cyclosporiasis cases were climbing across the state, with New York City logging 381 cases in 2026 so far, about three times the count at the same point last year. The state’s health care providers alert and CDC outbreak materials said the rise was part of a multi-state pattern expected to keep growing through the summer.

For Orange County families in Middletown, Newburgh, Goshen, Port Jervis and Monroe, the practical issue is not the headline count but the symptoms. Cyclospora can cause watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, bloating, gas, loss of appetite, weight loss and a low-grade fever. Illness can last days to weeks and can come and go if it is not treated, which makes it easy to mistake for a short stomach bug.

CDC guidance says Cyclospora is not easy to find on routine stool tests unless a specific test is requested, so persistent digestive symptoms deserve a call to a clinician. Treatment is typically trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or TMP-SMX, when it is clinically appropriate. Anyone who may be dehydrated, has severe symptoms or has a higher medical risk should seek medical advice rather than waiting it out.

Public-health investigators in July linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce, and earlier CDC outbreak reports have tied Cyclospora to salad mix, lettuce, carrots, vegetable trays and basil. That matters in Orange County because the food that carries the parasite is ordinary enough to show up in grocery stores, prepared foods and restaurant meals across the county, from strip-mall lunch spots to supermarket delis.

NBC New York reported that 93% of New York City’s 2026 cases had been recorded since May 1, underscoring how quickly the situation escalated heading into summer. With fresh produce moving through local kitchens and community events all season, the safest move is to take prolonged diarrhea seriously, ask for Cyclospora testing when symptoms fit, and get medical care early instead of assuming it will clear on its own.