Cyclosporiasis Cases in North Carolina
Current Situation in North Carolina
Cases began trending down at the end of August 2026. This indicates that the summer uptick of cyclosporiasis cases has ended. NCDHHS will share updates if the current situation changes.
Current Risk:
Low
Previous Cyclosporiasis Cases in NC
Summer 2026 Increase in Cyclosporiasis Cases
Cases from May to October 2026
Hospitalizations from May to October 2026
Cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness, rose in NC and other states during the summer of 2026. CDC: Tracking Cyclosporiasis in the U.S.
The illness is caused by a parasite called cyclospora. People get sick when they eat or drink food or water that is contaminated with the parasite. Past outbreaks were linked to fresh produce (lettuce, fruit and fresh herbs).
NCDHHS worked with state and local partners to identify potential sources for the increase in cases. The increase in cases in NC did not seem to be associated with the outbreak in other states involving Taco Bell.
Many cases in NC had reported eating parsley and cilantro more often than expected based on population-wide surveys (FoodNet Fast).
- A case refers to cyclosporiasis illness reported in an NC resident. These metrics do include cases reported in travelers who are residents of NC.
- Cases are identified by having positive laboratory testing or cyclosporiasis-like symptoms and known exposure. (Cyclosporiasis Clinical Overview and Resources)
- The date used for this dashboard is the date symptoms began. If that date is not available, specimen collection date is used, if available, or date of initial report to public health. The earliest date a case was identified may change as we learn more information. Dates may differ from CDC: Tracking Cyclosporiasis in the U.S. page.
- County is defined as county of residence.
Cases by County
Most cases were reported in Wake County: 525.
Cases by Age Group
| Age Group | Number of Cases from May to October 2026 |
|---|---|
| 5 years and younger | 3 |
| 6 to 18 years | 13 |
| 19 to 54 years | 575 |
| 55 years and older | 365 |
| Total | 956 |
Cases Over Time in NC
NC has identified about 150 cases of cyclosporiasis each year for the past 10 years. Since 2022, cases have passed this historical average.
There have been 967 reported cases of cyclosporiasis in North Carolina this year, as of last update on Oct. 13. Cases exceeded the number of cases reported in previous years.
What is a ?
Cases in 2026
As of last update, Oct. 13
Cases in 2025
Cases in 2024
Cases in 2023
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