An intestinal illness spreading throughout the U.S. that can cause explosive diarrhea has officially arrived in the city of Cleveland.
Cleveland’s Department of Public Health identified 18 cases of cyclosporiasis in the city as of July 13, up from five at the end of last week. The illness is caused by a parasite found in contaminated produce.
The news comes after the State of Ohio began warning residents about the spreading disease earlier last week. Though the outbreak is growing across the country, Ohio and Michigan are reporting some of the largest numbers of cases, the Washington Post reported.
Cyclosporiasis pops up every summer as people consume more fresh fruits and veggies, said Dr. Amy Edwards, an associate professor of pediatrics and expert in infectious diseases at Case Western Reserve University. But the number of cases in Ohio this year is “massively higher” than normal, Edwards said.
“This is one of the biggest outbreaks I can remember hearing about,” Edwards said.
Cyclosporiasis affects 70 people on average each year in Ohio. But so far in 2026, the state has reported 364 cases. Forty-six of those people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Cyclosporiasis is not typically life-threatening.
“Fortunately, there have been no deaths in Ohio, as is consistent with our past experiences with this illness,” wrote Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the director of the Ohio Department of Health, in a statement last week. “Nevertheless, this is a serious illness that can cause dehydration and require people to seek emergency medical care, and it should be taken seriously.”
Here’s what we know about the disease.
How do I get cyclosporiasis?
It spreads when people eat food — typically produce — or drink water that was contaminated with feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Authorities are trying to track down what could be behind the growing outbreak, i.e. a specific fruit or vegetable, but so far have not been successful.
In a press release, Ohio’s Department of Health wrote that “no common source” of the disease has been identified. It’s working with local health departments to investigate the outbreak by conducting interviews with people who have the disease to trace whether they came into contact with any similar foods.
What happens if I’m infected?
The disease typically causes watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements. That means people experience intense urgency to go to the bathroom and may struggle to control doing so, Edwards said.
Bloating, cramping or loss of appetite can also occur, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
The illness can be treated with antibiotics.
If not treated, symptoms may last from a few days to over a month. They may also seem to get better and then return one or more times. The state recommended Ohioans who experience symptoms, especially those lasting more than a few days, contact their healthcare provider.
How can residents protect themselves?
Ohio’s and Cleveland’s health departments are recommending residents take the following precautions to avoid getting sick:
- Wash hands with soap and water before and after preparing raw fruit and vegetables
- Wash fresh fruits and vegetables well under running water
- Scrub firm fruit and vegetables, like melons, with a clean produce brush
- Cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables should be eaten or refrigerated promptly
Other public health departments, such as Michigan’s, also recommend heating produce up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the parasite.
Should I just avoid all produce, or restaurants where I can’t confirm how the produce was washed?
The state’s health department is not yet recommending avoiding any particular foods or restaurants, because a source of the illness has not been determined yet.
But each person can set their own risk tolerance based on their health, Edwards said.
Many people don’t get sick from the parasite because they have a healthy buildup of stomach acid that helps kill parasites and bacteria, she added. But if a person is immunocompromised or takes medication to suppress the creation of stomach acid, then they may be more susceptible to the illness, Edwards said.
“Talking to your doctor would really be the best option to understand your individual risk,” Edwards said. “One person might make a different decision than another person.”
Is local produce safe?
Some local farms are encouraging residents to pick up produce straight from growers to reduce their risk of contracting the illness.
“Produce from small local farms is as safe today as it always has been,” Ohio City Farm wrote in an Instagram post. “…To protect yourself right now, you can avoid buying produce from unknown origins and large-scale operations unless you plan to cook it.”
At Ohio City Farm, produce is irrigated and washed with Cleveland’s fresh drinking water, wrote Rachel Ramos, a spokesperson for the farm, in an email. Using treated water like this on crops is a good way to decrease risk, said Edwards, the Case infectious disease expert.
Still, Ramos wrote, while local produce is likely to reduce the risks introduced by a long supply chain, it doesn’t remove it completely. And public health officials say without yet knowing the source of the outbreak, it is difficult to guarantee that local produce is safer than grocery store produce. Much depends on the individual farms’ produce handling practices.
“While local produce is unlikely the culprit, … I don’t have the evidence to say across the board local produce is safer,” wrote Richard Stewart, a spokesperson for Cleveland’s Department of Public Health, in a text.
Here’s where to find fresh, local produce options in Cleveland.
