Could it be cyclosporiasis or is it just IBS? That's the question everyone is agonizing over as they scroll through endless stories of watery diarrhea on social media.
Joye Pate, a 28-year-old from Michigan, woke up with stomach cramps after a trip to New York. She consumed little but broth and crackers for days before discovering her symptoms fit the potential cyclospora infection. Now, her TikTok has been flooded with commenters who think they might have it too.
Even influencers are feeling the pressure. Meagan Rose shared she feels like she has 99 percent of the symptoms but is constantly stressed about knowing for sure. Food content creators are also pivoting; cookbook author Arash Hashemi suggested cooked vegetables over raw ones to avoid explosive diarrhea.
The outbreak, which has affected nearly 7,000 people across the country, is largely due to contaminated lettuce or salad greens. However, routine stool tests don't typically screen for cyclospora, making diagnosis difficult. Lauren, a 44-year-old mother in New Jersey, was hospitalized with severe diarrhea before she heard about cyclosporiasis after eating a bibb salad.
Cyclospora is highly treatable with antibiotics but the risk of infection can still be high despite best practices. As the outbreak continues to spread, social media has made everyone feel like they could be next on the toilet rollercoaster.







