Wake County has reported 236 cyclosporiasis cases so far this season, with 20 additional confirmed cases added to the dashboard on Thursday. At least five people have been hospitalized. Statewide, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services weekly dashboard shows at least 307 cyclosporiasis cases and 13 hospitalizations as of July 14, 2026.
What Patients Should Know
The increase in demand for cyclospora testing is putting pressure on stool testing supplies at some clinics. Dr. Kimberly Caulway, the regional medical director for Duke Urgent Care, explained that the system has seen a significant increase in patients requesting stool tests, with roughly 20 patients per day. However, the unreturned test kits can cause delays in testing the next patient.
Caulway also noted that the type of test used can impact the result turnaround time. WakeMed and UNC Health use PCR tests, which may be part of a larger gastrointestinal panel and can be more expensive for patients. Duke Health’s urgent care system relies on microscopic stool testing, which requires additional laboratory analysis and can take up to a week or longer to produce results.
Most patients with positive test results are prescribed Bactrim, but the antibiotic may not work for everyone. Caulway advised that patients should seek medical attention if they experience diarrhea for a week or longer, or if they have dehydration, lightheadedness, and poor appetite or difficulty retaining fluids.
Cyclospora is transmitted by consuming food or water contaminated by human feces, often before the produce reaches the consumer. Michigan health officials recently announced that investigators are looking into lettuce as a potential source of an outbreak tied to more than 3,700 cyclosporiasis cases in recent months.
To reduce the risk of infection, health officials recommend washing hands thoroughly before handling food and cleaning utensils and cutting boards during food preparation. Cooking produce can kill the parasite, but many foods linked to cyclospora outbreaks are typically eaten raw.
Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.
