Treating Cyclosporiasis May Mean Seeing A Doc – Or A Hospital Stay

As health officials across the nation work to contain a severe gastrointestinal illness, patients grapple with if and when to seek treatment.  

Cyclosporiasis eventually goes away -- but the wait can be weeks of severe diarrhea and cramping.  

There are now over 1,600 confirmed cases nationwide, and 94 people have been hospitalized including 15 in West Virginia.  

The state Department of Health Bureau for Public Health (BPH) reports 139 confirmed cases in West Virginia as of July 17. But with a wide window before symptoms appear, the figure could climb even higher.  

“The latent period for it to show up is going to be up to two weeks” state health officer Dr. Mark McDaniel said. “So two days to two weeks at post-exposure, you start getting the symptoms.”  

There are antibiotics available. So if you’re able to take sulfa antibiotics like Bactrim or Septra, you’ll need a prescription. But that can cut your illness time to just a few miserable days.  

There is one more consideration, McDaniel said. 

“If you’re getting severely dehydrated and start getting the muscle cramps, fever, severe vomiting, severe weight loss, all those things are something that would be seen by a doctor,” he said. “That’s because you’re having dehydration, electrolyte imbalances. You start getting the muscle cramps, and if you’re not holding anything down, then you need the IV fluids. 

The public is advised to avoid shredded lettuce from Taco Bell and scrub or cook fresh produce.