Cyclosporiasis: An Update Cirle Alcantara Warren, MD Corresponding author Epidemiology Cirle Alcantara Warren, MD Cyclosporiasis has been reported in three epidemiologic Center for Global Health, Division of Infectious Diseases and settings: sporadic cases among local residents in an International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, MR4 Building, Room 3134, Lane Road, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. endemic area, travelers to or expatriates in an endemic E-mail:
[email protected] area, and food- or water-borne outbreaks in a nonendemic Current Infectious Disease Reports 2009, 11:108–112 area. In tropical and subtropical countries (especially Current Medicine Group LLC ISSN 1523-3847 Haiti, Guatemala, Peru, and Nepal) where C. cayetanen- Copyright © 2009 by Current Medicine Group LLC sis infection is endemic, attack rates appear higher in the nonimmune population (ie, travelers, expatriates, and immunocompromised individuals). Cyclosporiasis was a Cyclosporiasis is a food- and water-borne infection leading cause of persistent diarrhea among travelers to that affects healthy and immunocompromised indi- Nepal in spring and summer and continues to be reported viduals. Awareness of the disease has increased, and among travelers in Latin America and Southeast Asia outbreaks continue to be reported among vulnera- [8–10]. Almost half (14/29) the investigated Dutch attend- ble hosts and now among local residents in endemic ees of a scientifi c meeting of microbiologists held in 2001 areas. Advances in molecular techniques have in Indonesia had C. cayetanensis in stool, confi rmed by improved identifi cation of infection, but detecting microscopy and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and food and water contamination remains diffi cult.