NEW YORK (PIX11) — As cyclospora cases continue to rise across New York City, experts are urging people not to take the illness lightly, and certainly not to treat it as a “weight‑loss” shortcut
Health experts say cyclospora is a parasite most commonly spread in the U.S. through produce washed with contaminated water, especially during the warmer months. The parasite can also spread through contaminated recreational water, including pools and water parks
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“It’s a fecal‑oral parasite, meaning the water was contaminated in some capacity by stool, whether that’s poor hygiene or direct exposure,” Certified gastroenterologist Dr. Rabia de Latour of NYU Langone said
With symptoms that include severe diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, nausea and fatigue, some social media users, mainly on TikTok, are joking about getting exposed to it as a way to shed some pounds
Dr. De Latour warned that those treating cyclospora as a “lose‑weight quick” idea are not aware of how serious the illness can be
“If you have severe diarrhea over the course of a week, you’re going to lose a lot of fluids,” she said. “The dehydration is contributing to some of the pounds you’re seeing come off and then also just feeling awful, not having an appetite, not eating. And those are two horrible ways to ‘lose’ weight. I would not recommend that as a potential way to do so.”
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While most healthy adults recover, symptoms can last weeks and sometimes more than a month, often coming and going. Patients frequently describe the illness as debilitating
“People who’ve had it will tell you they felt awful,” de Latour said. “It’s pretty bad diarrhea. They wouldn’t wish it on their worst enemy.”
She added that dehydration from cyclospora can be dangerous for people with underlying medical conditions, including heart failure, kidney disease, or those on dialysis. Older adults are also at higher risk
“This diarrhea causes a lot of fluid loss and can cause significant dehydration, which you have to be very careful with, especially if you have underlying medical conditions,” she said.”
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Nicole Alarcon is an award-winning digital content producer. She has covered local news for the tri-state area since 2021. She joined PIX11 News in 2026. See more of her workhere
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