INDIANA – As cases of explosive diarrhea continue to rise across the U.S. this summer, health officials are grappling with a longstanding question about the tiny parasite that’s behind all this torment: Just how the heck is poop getting into our food?
The appalling truth about Cyclospora is that humans are its lone source, according to Dr. Mark Moorman. It’s only ever been found in human feces. So, if it’s in our food or water. Humans are the source.
And here’s another unsettling thing about Cyclospora: Investigators have never definitively identified the exact point of origin in an outbreak’s supply chain.
In several cases, investigators have found strong suggestive evidence placing the parasite close to produce growing or processing facilities, but have never successfully identified how human waste enters the agricultural system. Most experts believe contaminated water acts as the primary vehicle placing the parasite onto produce, yet how that water becomes tainted remains a mystery.
The U.S. contends with its largest Cyclospora caseload on record, swelling to more than 11,500 confirmed and suspected cases across 41 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These cases were acquired domestically rather than through international travel, making this year’s strain particularly unusual.
Indiana Emerges as a Major Hotspot
The surge has hit the Midwest especially hard. In Indiana, state health officials are reporting a sharp spike in infections, with state data showing over 700 confirmed cases since May 1, 2026.
“Several states across the Midwest have identified case increases and suspected clusters and outbreaks. The source of many of these cases has not yet been identified,” the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) noted in a public health statement.
According to IDOH data, patients in the state range in age from 8 to 98 years old. Geographically, the cases span across the state, but northeast and central Indiana have seen the highest concentrations:
- Allen County leads the state with 113 reported cases.
- Marion County follows as the second-highest with 72 cases.
- Elkhart, Noble, Steuben, Harrison, and DeKalb counties have each reported dozens of individual cases.
Three cases have been reported in Lawrence County and Monroe County, one in Brown County, two in Dubois County, seven in Jackson County, one in Martin County, two in Orange County, and four in Washington County.
Federal and state regulators—including the FDA and CDC—have traced a primary subset of the Midwest’s cases to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico and distributed to various restaurant chains, including Taco Bell, triggering voluntary product removals across regional supply chains. However, health officials stress that additional unlinked cases and clusters remain under active investigation.
What to Know About Cyclosporiasis
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. It spreads when people consume food or water contaminated with microscopic amounts of human feces.
- Primary Symptoms: Diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements, loss of appetite, weight loss, severe stomach cramps, bloating, gas, nausea, and fatigue.
- Severity: Symptoms typically appear about a week after exposure. While some individuals experience mild symptoms or none at all, others may require hospitalization or suffer prolonged illness lasting weeks if left untreated.
- Treatment: Unlike many viral stomach bugs, cyclosporiasis is caused by a parasite and can be treated with targeted antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.
