More than half of US states witness outbreak of cyclospora infection

More than half of US states are facing an outbreak of an intestinal disease caused by foodborne parasites, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Approximately 7,000 confirmed or suspected cases of cyclosporiasis, an infection caused by a microscopic parasite, have been recorded in 34 US states, according to the CDC.

Deputy director of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases at the CDC, Gwen Biggerstaff, said this disease "spreads when a person consumes food or water contaminated with the parasite, usually through fresh produce that has not been washed or cooked thoroughly."

Symptoms include diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever, and vomiting.

The American Medical Association warns of possible relapses, as symptoms may disappear and then reappear.

The number of infections has risen sharply since May, and investigations are currently underway to determine the source.

Biggerstaff said, "This (number) is much higher than what we saw last year or the year before."

Authorities in Michigan, the northern state where most cases have been recorded, suspect contamination through salads and lettuce.

The fast-food chain Taco Bell, which has branches across the country, is also under investigation by health authorities, according to the Washington Post.

The sharp rise in cyclosporiasis cases has revived criticism of the mass layoffs carried out by the administration of US President Donald Trump last year in federal health agencies, which led to the loss of experts and the CDC scaling back one of its surveillance networks for foodborne pathogens.