An Indiana father undergoing treatment for lung and kidney cancer was hospitalized after testing positive for Cyclospora, experiencing severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and weakness that required ICU care. His immunocompromised status contributed to a rapid decline. Indiana has reported nearly 600 cases amid a nationwide surge to about 12,000 suspected infections and 300+ hospitalizations. Health officials are investigating sources and warn that immunocompromised people face higher risk.
Indiana Man With Cancer Hospitalized After Cyclospora Infection; Family Found Him Gravely Ill
Judy Santana says her family found her brother, Cal, gravely ill with cyclosporiasisCredit: NBC Chicago/YouTube
An Indiana father of two who is being treated for lung and kidney cancer was hospitalized and placed in intensive care after testing positive for Cyclospora, the microscopic parasite that causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis.
Family members said they went to check on the 65-year-old man after they could not reach him and found him severely ill at home. His symptoms began over the prior weekend and included profuse diarrhea, repeated vomiting, a high fever and extreme fatigue. Because he is immunocompromised due to cancer treatment, his condition deteriorated rapidly and required multiple stays in the ICU.
"With my brother being immunocompromised, it hit him so hard that I've never seen anything like that," his sister, Judy Santana, told NBC News. "It was really bad just to see him laying in there and there was really nothing we could do, but just kinda wait it out and see like what's going to happen."
Doctors confirmed Cyclospora by testing the patient's stool. Santana said the medical team emphasized the infection was not simple food poisoning; investigators are working to trace possible sources. The patient recalled eating Taco Bell and prepackaged bagged salads from a grocery store in the weeks before he became ill.
Stock image of the microscopic parasite CyclosporaCredit: Getty
Outbreak Context
State health officials report nearly 600 cases in Indiana. Nationwide, public-health agencies have recorded roughly 12,000 suspected Cyclospora infections, with more than 300 people hospitalized, largely concentrated in Midwestern states.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said the outbreak is "under control," while local and federal health authorities continue investigations and warn that immunocompromised people are at higher risk of severe illness.
What To Know
Cyclospora spreads when people ingest food or water contaminated with the parasite. Symptoms typically include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal cramping, nausea and fatigue; severe cases can require hospitalization, especially for people with weakened immune systems. Anyone experiencing persistent gastrointestinal symptoms should seek medical care and testing.
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