Arkansas Department of Health confirms 32 new Cyclosporiasis cases, total now 205
Wed, August 5, 2026 at 4:58 PM
UpdatedWed, August 5, 2026 at 4:59 PM
The number of Cyclosporiasis cases continues to rise across the state, The Arkansas Department of Health confirming 205 cases of the disease on Wednesday. (FILE: SBG)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) —The number of Cyclosporiasis cases continues to rise across the state, The Arkansas Department of Health confirming 205 cases of the disease on Wednesday
That’s 32 more than the 173 cases ADH officials confirmed Tuesday
The northwest Arkansas region has the highest number of confirmed cases. Benton County is seeing the largest surge, now at 124 cases. Washington County has the second highest case count at 19, Boone County has 14, and Carroll County has 10
Baxter, Crawford, Faulkner, Grant, Greene, Miller, Marion, Madison, Newton, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Searcy, Sebastian, Van Buren, and Woodruff Counties all have reported less than 10 cases
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, also known as Cyclospora
People can become infected by consuming food or water that contains the parasite. Cyclosporiasis is not typically life threatening
The CDC says Cyclospora spreads when people eat food or drink water that has been contaminated with feces (stool). It is very unlikely to spread directly from person to person
The ADH provided prevention tips on how to prevent Cyclospora
- Avoid consuming food or water that may be contaminated with feces.
- Follow food safety handling recommendations for safe preparation and storage such as:
- Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.
- Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.
- Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating.
- Refrigerate cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables within two hours.
