A foodborne outbreak spreading across the country right now is worth every doctor's attention — and yours. The CDC just issued a formal Health Alert. A parasite called Cyclospora has exploded across 34 states. As of July 13, over 6,700 confirmed or probable cases have been reported nationally in 2026 — compared to about 2,700 in all of last year. The CDC has confirmed 1,645 domestically acquired cases since May 1, with over 5,100 more awaiting analysis. That's running more than 6 times ahead of this time last year. 141 hospitalized. Zero deaths. But the misery is real, and it lasts. Here's what you need to know, because this one is genuinely miserable and often missed. Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite you swallow on contaminated fresh produce — historically leafy greens, herbs like cilantro and basil, and berries. It spreads through the fecal-oral route: produce contaminated with human waste somewhere in the supply chain. It does NOT spread person to person, so you can't catch it from a sick family member. The symptoms: profuse, watery, sometimes "explosive" diarrhea that can last weeks if untreated. Plus cramping, nausea, bloating, loss of appetite, fatigue, and dramatic weight loss. Symptoms usually start about a week after exposure and can come in waves — you feel better, then relapse. That relapsing pattern is a classic clue. Now the part I most want you to hear, because it's where people get missed: Standard stool tests do NOT reliably detect Cyclospora. A routine "ova and parasites" panel can miss it entirely. Your doctor has to specifically order Cyclospora testing. So if you've had watery diarrhea for more than a few days — especially if it's dragging on for a week or waxing and waning — tell your doctor directly: "Could this be Cyclospora? Please test for it specifically." The CDC is actively urging clinicians to order that test right now. It's treatable. The standard treatment is an antibiotic combination — trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. People with sulfa allergies need an alternative, so that conversation matters. Untreated, it can drag on for weeks. Treated, it usually resolves. The current investigation: the CDC and FDA are tracking a multistate cluster of 400+ cases across Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky that likely share a common food source. Michigan has been hit hardest — thousands of cases against a typical background of a few dozen a year. Leafy greens and salad mix are under scrutiny, but no single source has been officially confirmed yet, and there's no formal recall. Prevention — and here's the sobering part: Wash all fresh produce thoroughly under running water, rubbing the surfaces. It helps, but be honest with yourself: Cyclospora oocysts are tough, and washing does NOT reliably remove them. Hand sanitizer does nothing to it. Cooking DOES kill it — heat is your most reliable defense. During an active outbreak, if you're in a hotspot state, cooking your vegetables is far safer than eating them raw. So: wash everything, cook when you can, and if you get prolonged or relapsing watery diarrhea, see a doctor and ask specifically for Cyclospora testing. This isn't a reason to panic. No one has died, and it's curable. It's a reason to be informed — to wash and cook your produce, and to know the one word that gets you the right test if you fall ill. Sometimes the most important medicine isn't a breakthrough. It's knowing what to ask for before a two-week illness becomes a two-month one.