Cyclosporiasis cases rise to 54 in Harris County, 10 in Houston

Cyclospora cases have climbed to 54 in Harris County, with 10 more reported in Houston, as health officials continue to track the parasite-linked illness across the metro area. The new count puts the outbreak well beyond the 34 total local cases reported in early July.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Harris County Public Health says people become infected by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the parasite, often through fecal contamination. The illness can cause watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue and a prolonged gastrointestinal illness that can keep people sidelined for days or longer.

Officials have not identified a single restaurant, grocer or common food source in the local updates tied to the outbreak. Texas health officials have said cyclosporiasis can be associated with fresh produce including cilantro, raspberries, basil and snow peas, which is why investigators are paying close attention to food exposures rather than treating the increase as an isolated cluster.

The scale of the rise is drawing notice because it now exceeds recent full-year local totals. Harris County Public Health counted 39 total Cyclospora infections in all of 2025 and 34 total infections in all of 2024 for the county outside Houston, according to KHOU’s reporting. Earlier in July, Houston and Harris County health departments had reported 34 combined cases, including 16 in the city and 18 in the county.

Harris County Public Health’s Cyclospora page says the CDC, Food and Drug Administration and public health officials are involved in outbreak monitoring. The Texas Department of State Health Services has also described cyclosporiasis as a foodborne illness, reinforcing the advice to wash hands, rinse fresh produce under running water and keep foods at safe temperatures.

The growing case count comes as families, restaurants and grocery shoppers across Harris County are watching for the kinds of symptoms that can linger and spread confusion about where an infection started. With 54 cases in the county and 10 more in Houston, local health officials are still working to pin down how far the outbreak has reached and what food exposures may be driving it.