Michigan has officially reached the part of summer where the weather is gorgeous, the grills are working overtime, and apparently, our fresh produce may need a background check. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), reported cases of cyclosporiasis jumped to 572 as of Saturday, July 4, 2026. That's up from 170 on June 30.
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Cases remain highest in Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland, and Livingston counties, with Southeast Michigan seeing the biggest increase. MDHHS says no specific grower, supplier, or produce type has been identified as the source.
What Is Cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite. People get it by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the parasite, which is a very official way of saying some of our snacks have betrayed us. Direct person-to-person spread is unlikely because Cyclospora usually needs one to two weeks in the environment before becoming infectious.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it's working with state and federal health agencies and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to identify clusters and possible food sources.
What Health Officials Recommend
Symptoms usually show up about a week after exposure, but can take two days to two weeks or longer. MDHHS says it commonly causes frequent, watery, sometimes explosive diarrhea, and untreated illness can last from days to more than a month.
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For now, health officials recommend washing produce under running water, scrubbing firm fruits and vegetables, refrigerating cut produce, sanitizing surfaces, and cooking produce when possible. Heating foods to 158 degrees or more kills Cyclospora.
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