Cyclosporiasis: Everything You Need to Know About the Cyclospora Outbreak
The Cyclosporiasis Outbreak: What It Means for You (and Your Gut)
The Cyclosporiasis outbreak is real and right now there is a lot of fear going around. It feels like the outbreak is impossible to escape; everytime I go online, log into facebook, or turn on the TV all I hear is a Cyclosporiasis outbreak and everyone is worried about eating produce. While you should be cautious about consuming foods that potentially can affect you, today I want to share some insight to what cyclosporiasis is, what to do if you contract it, and how to treat and heal after exposure.
What is Cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite found in contaminated food or water. It doesn’t spread person-to-person through casual contact, only if consumed from affected food or water.
How Do You Get Cyclosporiasis?
This infection is most commonly linked to consuming fresh produce, such as lettuce, fresh herbs, berries, snap peas, or pre-cut fruits and vegetables that were grown in, washed with, or exposed to contaminated water.
What Are the Symptoms of Cyclosporiasis?
Symptoms are not instant and can occur anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks after exposure before you notice anything. The CDC says, “The most common symptoms include watery diarrhea, which can be frequent, along with loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, nausea, and fatigue. Less common symptoms include low-grade fever and vomiting.”
What Should I Do If I Think I Ate Contaminated Produce?
If you suspect you ate contaminated produce, the only thing you can do is wait and watch. Monitor your symptoms closely and if you suspect exposure, immediately see your doctor. They can run a stool test to see if you have the parasite. However, these tests are not always accurate, it depends on how the results are checked.
If you suspect exposure, here are some things to stay healthy:
- Stay hydrated and take electrolyte tablets to prevent dehydration
- Take charcoal tablets at bedtime to support gut detox (do not exceed taking 5 days in a row)
- See your doctor immediately if symptoms occur or worsen
How is Cyclosporiasis Treated?
A positive stool test typically means that your doctor will prescribe you Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, a combination antibiotic that is effective in treating bacterial infections. However, not everyone will need medication. According to the CDC, “Most people who have healthy immune systems will recover without treatment. If not treated, the illness may last anywhere from a few days to a month or longer. Symptoms may seem to go away and then return one or more times (relapse).”
What are the Antibiotic Side-Effects?
With any medications is the risk of side-effects. Here are the most common side-effects: nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, hives or a rash. This medication can increase sun sensitivity, so make sure to apply sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight when taking this medication. According to WebMD, “Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop using sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:
- Breathing problems or wheezing
- Cough
- Racing heart
- Fever of general ill feeling
- Low blood pressure
- Confusion
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
- Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
- Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
- Pale appearance
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes
- Red or purple spots on the skin
- Stomach cramps
- Joint pain
- Chest pain
Why Do I Still Feel Off After Finishing Antibiotics?
While antibiotics are great for eliminating parasites, pathogens, bacteria, and viruses from our body, their effects don’t end when you stop your round of antibiotics. Many people still feel GI discomfort after taking antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed to eliminate both harmful and beneficial bugs from the gut. This disrupts the gut microbiome and can kill off the good bacteria our gut needs. Leading to gut dysbiosis, the imbalance of gut bacteria that causes IBS-like symptoms. Birchwell Clinic describes dysbiosis as: “The collective impact of antibiotic use can lead to a state of dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbiome characterized by a shift away from a healthy microbial composition. Dysbiosis is associated with various digestive issues and has been linked to conditions beyond the gut, including immune system dysregulation and inflammatory responses.”
How Do I Heal my Gut?
After antibiotics, parasites, or illness the best thing you can do is supply your gut with foods that support healing.
Here are our recommendations:
- Eliminate all pre-packaged or processed foods, gluten, sugar, and seed oils. These foods cause gut inflammation and worsen dysbiosis, leading to leaky gut, if left untreated.
- IF TOLERATED: Eat fiber-rich OR fermented foods. However if any of these foods cause gas, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, or constipation stop eating them! Dysbiosis can create intolerance to these foods and worsen symptoms. Avoid it if you experience any of these.
- Prioritize animal protein and good, healthy fats such as butter, ghee, olive or avocado oil.
- Cook all vegetables and substitute vegetables for carbohydrates
- Eat PREBIOTIC-rich foods: Prebiotics feed the good bacteria in your gut. Prebiotics are better for your gut than probiotics because they increase the good bacteria so your body can fight to eliminate the bad bacteria. Prebiotic-rich foods include garlic, onions, leeks, and jerusalem artichokes.
- Sip grass-fed bone broth daily to soothe your gut lining and encourage healing.
Do I Need a Parasite Cleanse?
This depends on if you tested positive for cyclosporiasis and if the parasite is still present after a round of antibiotics. A functional gut test is the best way to answer this question. Our Gut Zoomer does check for Cyclospora. If you do need a parasite cleanse, this is best done under the direction of a trained professional. There are plenty of parasite cleanses on social media, however, if you are not properly prepping your body for a detox, chances are you are going to end up sick. There is a right and wrong way to do a parasite cleanse and working with a trained professional helps improve your outcome or minimizes side effects.
How Does A Functional Medicine Approach Differ from Just Taking Medications?
Functional medicine doctors are trained to heal the gut and look at the root cause. When it comes to cyclosporiasis, getting a proper diagnosis and antibiotics from your doctor is the best place to start. However, after you’re done with antibiotics, we recommend doing a functional gut test to check for additional parasites, bad bacteria overgrowth, pathogens, viruses, candida, and gut dysbiosis that may be preventing your gut from fully healing.
After we review your test results, we put together a plan that includes nutrition, lifestyle, supplementation, detoxification, and parasite cleansing, if needed. The goal is to rebalance your gut bacteria to stop the dysbiosis, heal leaky gut, feed your gut with the right nutrients, and restore detoxification so your gut can begin to heal. Even if you tested negative for cyclosporiasis, you may still have been affected by it. Our Gut Zoomer has a high efficacy rate on showing positive markers, when other labs may show up negative. Many tests don’t detect low levels of parasites. According to the CDC: “Laboratory detection of Cyclospora in stool can be challenging even in symptomatic patients, and standard ova and parasite exams might not detect it reliably.”
As with any test, symptom, or diagnosis; getting a second opinion is important because when it comes to your health, you deserve answers. You know your body better than your doctor and if you are not happy with the result, then you absolutely MUST get another opinion.
Ready to Take Action?
If you have been diagnosed with cyclosporiasis or just want help with your gut, we are here to help you take control of your health and find the root cause of your health concerns. Please visit our website to book a free call or get started today.
