Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. The parasite is spread through fecal/oral means, through eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Fortunately it is not life-threatening, but is still deeply unpleasant and stubborn - symptoms include watery diarrhea with frequent and "sometimes explosive" bowel movements, with symptoms lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Even more frustrating, sometimes the symptoms go away and then relapse. The parasite is also unusually tricky to track, because symptoms don't appear until a week or two after the original infection; meaning most sufferers are unlikely to remember specific details about their diets that could help researchers and doctors pinpoint a source. Also, because it isn't as severe as other intestinal diseases like E. Coli infections, many sufferers tend to ride it out with OTC drugs and never inform their doctors they were infected in the first place. So while the CDC is aware of 31 states affected, the actual number may be much higher. According to the CDC's current data, Michigan has reported the most cases, followed by New York, Texas, Illinois, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Thoroughly washing hands before preparing food and thoroughly washing produce can help prevent infection, although avoiding eating raw produce is an even better option. Because of this, Taco Bell has announced it is temporarily recalling raw lettuce, cilantro-onion mix, pico de gallo, and guacamole in its franchises, pending further information about the source of the contamination. No other major chains have announced recalls, but Chipotle is "monitoring" the situation, and some other individual restaurants are making similar moves.












