Chronic
Diarrhea May Be Caused by a Cyclospora Cayetanensis Infection, or
Cyclosporiasis
When diarrhea lasts
for more than a few days, it is considered chronic diarrhea. There
are several causes for chronic diarrhea, but a chief cause is infection
by an intestinal parasite. Cyclospora cayetanensis is one such parasite;
it infects the small intestine, and once infection takes place,
the main symptom is chronic diarrhea. A person who is infected with
Cyclospora is said to be suffering from cyclosporiasis.
Cyclospora is a
one-celled, microscopic parasite that was discovered only recently
by scientists. The first known human cases of cyclosporiasis were
documented in 1979, and infections became more common in the mid-1980s.
At first, Cyclospora infection was usually found in people who lived
in, or traveled to, developing countries. However, now Cyclospora
is found worldwide. During the last several years, outbreaks of
cyclosporiasis have been reported in the United States.
People of all ages
may become infected with Cyclospora, yet exactly how this intestinal
parasite spreads is not completely understood. It appears the Cyclospora
parasite is spread by eating or drinking something that has been
contaminated with infected stool. However, unlike other parasites,
Cyclospora does not become infectious until days or weeks after
it has been passed into the environment. Therefore, it is unlikely
that Cyclospora is passed directly from one person to another, for
example, by a person who has not properly washed his or her hands.
Some outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to fresh produce,
including imported produce, and it is believed these outbreaks could
have stemmed from produce that was washed or stored in stagnant
or untreated water.
Once a person has
become infected with Cyclospora, it takes about a week for symptoms
to appear. Common symptoms of cyclosporiasis include:
- Watery diarrhea
- Frequent (sometimes explosive)
bowel movements
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of weight
- Bloating
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
- Low fever
Since it is an
emerging illness, there’s still a lot to be learned about
the Cyclospora intestinal parasite. It is not known yet whether
cyclosporiasis can be passed from animals to humans. Anyone who
is suffering from chronic diarrhea and other intestinal distress
should be aware that a parasite could be to blame. A natural
parasite cleanse is a safe alternative to cleanse the body of
many different types of human parasites.
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