LOS ANGELES, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States has reported 6,707 laboratory-confirmed domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis across 45 states since May 1, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
More than 11,500 additional cases remain under investigation, with many reported by Michigan and Ohio, the CDC said.
Among the confirmed cases, 423 people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. Patients ranged in age from one to 98 years, with a median age of 44, and 56 percent were female, according to the CDC.
The confirmed cases became sick after eating food in the United States and reported no international travel during the 14 days before symptom onset.
Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora. In the United States, infections typically increase during the spring and summer months. The CDC defines the annual cyclosporiasis surveillance season as running from May 1 through Aug. 31. ■
