WASHINGTON (WAFB/Gray News) - Health officials say they are seeing a spike in cases when it comes to a parasitic illness that can cause “explosive” diarrhea, among other symptoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that at least 145 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported across 17 states, with 20 people having been hospitalized after suffering severe symptoms.

The agency says New York, Illinois and Texas have seen the most reported cases since May 1.

According to the CDC, Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that spreads when people consume food or water contaminated with feces. The CDC says case counts typically rise in the spring and summer and considers May 1 through Aug. 31 as the height of the illness.

Officials said symptoms typically begin about a week after ingestion and include frequent, watery — and sometimes explosive — diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue and a low-grade fever.

In its latest national surveillance update, the CDC said its count includes people who became sick from May 1 through June 16. No deaths were reported, but the agency notes the true number of infections may be higher because some people recover without seeking medical care and are never tested.

In the latest count, 45 cases were among people who ate or drank food or water that made them sick while traveling outside the U.S. during the 14 days before they got sick, federal health officials said.

The CDC says it monitors cyclosporiasis year-round to quickly detect outbreaks linked to a shared food source. However, the team says they haven’t currently found evidence of a single, multistate Cyclospora outbreak linking all of the current cases.

Health officals are recommending anyone with symptoms to contact a health care provider, because testing and treatment can require specific lab testing for Cyclospora.

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