Harris County Public Health and the Houston Health Department had confirmed 34 local Cyclospora infections, with 16 inside the City of Houston and 18 more in the county outside the city, as Texas tracked 48 statewide cases matching the CDC outbreak definition by July 6. The illnesses began on or after May 1 and did not involve foreign travel. The county total was higher than usual for this time of year. The county reported 39 total Cyclospora infections in 2025 and 34 in 2024, while Houston logged 66 cases in 2025, 25 in 2024 and 156 in 2023.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes cyclosporiasis surveillance updates more often this year because of a recent increase. Cyclosporiasis season typically runs from May 1 through Aug. 31, with case counts rising in spring and summer. State and federal partners are investigating several outbreaks, and outbreaks have been identified nearly every year since the mid-1990s. The illness is nationally notifiable and reportable in 47 states, the District of Columbia and New York City.
Cyclospora is an intestinal infection caused by a microscopic parasite. Symptoms can include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss; they usually begin about a week after exposure and can last days to a month or longer, sometimes fading and then returning. People with HIV or other immunosuppressive conditions can have longer illness, and the parasite does not appear to spread person-to-person.
If watery diarrhea lasts more than a few days, or comes with severe appetite loss or fatigue, seek medical care and mention Cyclospora, because special lab testing is not routine in many laboratories. For groceries this week, treat raw produce with extra caution: past U.S. outbreaks have often been tied to imported basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, snow peas and parsley, and thorough washing is recommended but may not remove all risk.
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