Michigan has confirmed the first deaths linked to the US' ongoing outbreak of a diarrhea bug caused by the cyclospora parasite.
On Monday, Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services announced that "two deaths have been identified as part of the cyclosporiasis outbreak affecting Michigan."
"According to medical records, both individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration," the agency said in a statement. "Cyclosporiasis is generally not a life-threatening illness."
Thousands of people across the US have fallen sick this summer with the lingering watery diarrhea that is a hallmark of the parasitic infection.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has logged at least 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases nationwide, but that is likely a vast undercount. Case counts have been particularly high in several states across the Midwest — including Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky, and are likely linked to contaminated lettuce sourced from central Mexico.
Most people recover from cyclosporiasis within a few weeks, but the illness can relapse, and take over a month to resolve. Antibiotics can help clear the infection faster.
Dr. Tyler Evans, an infectious disease expert and co-founder of the Wellness Equity Alliance, said that "cyclosporiasis is famously an opportunistic infection," especially for people with compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV.
He remembers in the late 90s and early 2000s when his patients with AIDS would develop wasting, dehydration, and were routinely killed by the parasite.
"Older adults or people with a lot of chronic illnesses, they can dehydrate very easily and they don't sometimes perceive it, which makes it that much more dangerous," he recently told Business Insider.
The outbreak has been linked to lettuce sourced in central Mexico, but dwindling case counts in affected states now suggest the outbreak may be curtailing.
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Hilary Brueck is a Health Correspondent at Business Insider, where she covers longevity and the quest to improve human aging. She also writes regularly about the complexities of diagnosing and treating cancer, the evolving landscape of GLP-1 drugs, new developments in exercise science, and expert-backed nutrition advice. In general, she relishes any opportunity to unpack scientific discoveries or examine the latest consumer trends. Her reports have ranged from exploring how sherpas effortlessly climb into the thin air 29,029 feet above sea level to summit Mount Everest, to trudging along a Jersey shore beach with scientists fighting killer pandemic flu viruses by studying bird butts.She spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci about his vitamin and supplement routine over a cold slice of pizza, and chatted with the world's oldest Nobel Prize winner in his basement solar lab. She also went an entire month without eating any ultra-processed foods (yes, it was time-consuming and challenging). A graduate of Columbia Journalism School and former Peace Corps Volunteer, Hilary speaks English, French, and Malagasy. Previously, Hilary reported for ABC News Radio, Fortune, Forbes, and Al Jazeera America. In her spare time, she likes to run, hike and she is also an aspiring (but very bad) surfer. If you've got a pressing health question, tip, or concern, reach out to [email protected]Expertise
- Longevity and healthy aging
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Awards
- 2026 National Headliner Award: first place for online beat reporting in health & science for a series on young colon cancer.
- 2025 North American Travel Journalists Association silver award for sports, recreation, and adventure writing.
- 2024 New York Press Club award for best online infographic: What loneliness does to your body and brain
- 2024 James Beard nominee for health and wellness reporting: Long-Lived Loma Linda
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