Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffCyclospora infection causes watery, and sometimes explosive, diarrhea. The one-celled parasite that causes cyclospora infection can enter your body when you ingest contaminated food or water. Fresh produce is the culprit in many cases of cyclospora infection.
Because diarrhea can be caused by many things, it can be difficult to diagnose cyclospora infection. A specialized test is required to identify the cyclospora parasite in stool samples. Treatment for cyclospora infection is antibiotics. Food safety precautions may help to prevent the disease.
References
- Cyclosporiasis FAQs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/gen_info/faqs.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2011.
- Weller PF, et al. Cyclospora infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2011.
- Suh KN, et al. Cyclospora cayetanensis, Isospora belli, Sarcocystis species, Balantidium coli, and Blastocystis hominis. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00280-0. Accessed Aug. 18, 2011.
- WGO practice guideline: Acute diarrhea. Munich, Germany: World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO). http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=12679. Accessed Aug. 18, 2011.
- Craig SA, et al. Gastroenteritis. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00092-X. Accessed Aug. 18, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on