South Florida woman shares her experience being diagnosed with Cyclospora: "I was in bed for days"

A South Florida woman is recovering after a diagnosis of Cyclospora, a parasitic infection that left her bedridden for days.

Nina Diaz said the symptoms began suddenly, leaving her severely dehydrated and unable to move.

"From one second to the next, it just took over," Diaz said. "When I was shaking from dehydration, I couldn't even move my body. I was in bed for days. I had to get an IV in my system so I could be hydrated."

Diaz said her symptoms began with intense stomach pain, which became so severe that she required a house call from a physician. She suspects the infection originated from a salad kit she purchased, though the source remains unconfirmed.

"The parasite is living inside of me, and that's it," Diaz said.

Dr. Craig Harrison, an emergency physician at Broward Health, said Cyclospora infections typically present symptoms that last longer than a standard stomach bug.

"It usually can take about a week or more for the symptoms to start, and then the symptoms can persist for several weeks," Harrison said.

Harrison advised that patients do not necessarily need to visit the emergency room for testing. He noted that primary care offices and urgent care centers can collect samples, though results may take a day or two.

"That's where working with your primary health care team to follow up and then cater the treatment and antibiotics accordingly," Harrison said.

According to the latest CDC data, approximately 8 percent of Cyclospora cases in the United States require hospitalization. Harrison noted that pinpointing the specific food or meal that caused the infection can be difficult.