Multiple US states see alarming increase in cases of parasitic illness that causes ‘explosive’ diarrhea

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. Photograph: CDC

Cases of cyclosporiasis – a parasitic illness that causes “explosive”, watery diarrhea – have grown exponentially in recent days, health officials said, with an abnormally large outbreak reported in Michigan.

Almost 700 cases were reported to the state’s health department by Monday, ABC News said, up from 170 six days earlier, and almost 14 times Michigan’s average annual caseload of 50.