Could this microscopic menace be in your next meal?

You’re no longer in control of your own body. You’re just a shell of a human… a “host” for an intrusive parasite that literally drains the life right out of you.

It’s not Invasion of the Bodysnatchers… The Brain Eaters… or even The Thing.

It’s Attack of the Cyclospora!

But while this may sound like the latest scare flick, it’s no movie.

One thing’s for sure, though: It’s frightening!

Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause some nasty problems, such as constant watery diarrhea, nausea, exhaustion, abdominal cramps, and muscle pain. Raging fever and vomiting night and day aren’t out of the question either.

Oh, and that’s if you’re generally healthy.

If you have a debilitating illness (one that lowers your immune function)… or are taking one of those biologic drugs that puts the brakes on your immune system for you… it can be a lot more horrifying.

And so far, the summer of 2017 has been a humdinger for people falling victim to this parasitic infection.

But the season isn’t over yet — and since health officials haven’t pinned this year’s Cyclosporiasis outbreak down to any one cause, you need to learn how to avoid this parasite before it has the chance to set up shop inside your body.

A microscopic menace
While outbreaks of Cyclosporiasis have happened before, this year it’s said to have hit more people than ever, causing a 130 percent increase in cases in the U.S. alone.

You might think that the only way to get hit with this microscopic menace is by traveling to a tropical country, having some exotic veggie or fruit platter, and washing it down with a glass of tap water.

It must be that folks who are infected with it were touring some foreign locale, right?

But it turns out that all you really need to do is have a salad in Cleveland… or maybe even Seattle!

Because according to the latest headlines, you could become infected anywhere Cyclospora-contaminated food is served. It’s that easy.

As bad as the symptoms may sound, the real ick factor behind these outbreaks is that to become contaminated, food must come into contact with feces (typically by being washed in contaminated water) that contain the parasite.

But don’t expect to be able to tell what’s safe and what isn’t simply by looking at something — unless you’re looking at it under a microscope.

Usually, the CDC is able to track down where an outbreak originated. Previously, this bug has been traced to imported basil, cilantro, lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas, turning the idea of a delicious salad into a nightmare!

Experts say that there are certain things you can do to keep your own body from becoming “snatched” by this parasite, such as:

#1: When buying foods you’re going to eat raw — especially produce — opt for those that are grown in the U.S. or Canada. Cyclospora is more commonly found in foods imported from countries such as Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, so those should always be cooked (and even then they aren’t 100 percent safe).

#2: Although washing doesn’t always remove the parasite, you should still thoroughly wash all fresh produce (including those bagged salads that say washing isn’t necessary), as well as use a scrubbing brush on items that you won’t be peeling. Melons, however, should still be scrubbed thoroughly, as cutting through one with a knife can inadvertently send contamination from the skin into the part you’ll be eating.

#3: Wash your hands! I know that’s pretty common advice, but you’d be surprised at how many times even the best of us don’t wash long enough or often enough.

If you’ve been having ongoing, watery diarrhea — one of the classic symptoms of this infection (that can start around a week after eating or drinking something contaminated with the bug) — see a doctor right away.

But that might not be enough — because the specific test for Cyclospora isn’t routinely done, so you may have to ask for it. These latest outbreaks have shown that this is an especially difficult microbe to eliminate — but getting on an antibiotic as soon as possible can usually keep it from becoming a nightmare you have to relive every day!

“Parasitic cyclospora infections up 134% this summer” Victoria Knight, August 7, 2017, CNN, cnn.com