--- title: Cyclospora’s Mode of Infection date: 2020-12-16T17:24:00-08:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/cyclosporas-mode-of-infection" section: Resource Library --- [Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) / # Cyclospora’s Mode of Infection The modes of transmission of *C. cayetanensis* are still not completely understood. Direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely because the oocysts are not infectious when initially shed (unlike *Cryptosporidium*, another foodborne parasite). ![](https://holistic-kudu.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/1safe_image.php_-300x156__thumb.jpg?w=240&h=124&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1677187638&s=127e09b5d57623ef83d71d34361221a5)Individuals with *Cyclospora* infection excrete unsporulated oocysts in their feces. These oocysts require 7 to 15 days to sporulate under ideal conditions (23-27°C or 73-81ºF) and only then become infectious to a susceptible host. Therefore, food or water contaminated with freshly excreted *Cyclospora* oocysts is not likely to cause an infection; rather *C. cayetanensis* requires weeks to sporulate in the environment to become infectious. Indirect transmission can occur if an infected person contaminates the environment, the oocysts sporulate under the right conditions, and then contaminated food and water are ingested. The role of soil in transmission has also been proposed. The relative importance of these various modes of transmission and sources of infection is not known. ![](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/aboutboutlismcom-images/image6.png)*Cyclospora* oocysts have been detected in non-gastrointestinal samples. There have been reports of oocysts in the sputa of HIV patients with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, suggesting that *Cyclospora* could be considered an opportunistic pathogen. Travel to rural areas and ingestion of contaminated foods could be modes of infection. Accidental inhalation of oocysts has also been suggested. The dissemination of infective *Cyclospora* oocysts via water, soil, and unprocessed foods (*e.g.*, fruits and vegetables, including ready-to-eat salads) is enabled by their small size (8–10 μm), low specific gravity, and high infectivity. Such oocysts can survive for weeks to months in water and food, depending on the environmental temperature, and are resistant to the routine sanitization or chemical disinfection procedures used in irrigation systems, recreational waters, or drinking water treatment plants. [ Next: Symptoms of Cyclospora Infection › ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/symptoms-of-cyclospora-infection) ### More information about Cyclospora [August 13, 2026 ###### Cyclospora and the 2026 Taylor Farms Outbreak: Questions and Answers Marler Clark represents people sickened in the 2026 Cyclospora outbreak and has filed cases naming Taylor Farms entities as defendants. The answers below are written for people trying to understand ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/cyclospora-and-the-2026-taylor-farms-outbreak-questions-and-answers) [August 08, 2026 ###### FAQ's: The 2026 Cyclospora Outbreak: Questions and Answers for the Public Updated Saturday, August 8, 2026. Everything below is drawn from the federal and state health department pages linked in the answers, and the numbers move, so check the links before ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/faqs-the-2026-cyclospora-outbreak-questions-and-answers-for-the-public) [July 27, 2026 ###### The Cyclospora Lawsuits Have Begun On July 16, health officials linked shredded lettuce sold at US-based Taco Bell restaurants to the cyclosporiasis outbreak. Within hours, the lawsuits began. At least four lawsuits have been filed ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/the-cyclospora-lawsuits-have-begun) [October 23, 2022 ###### A 2020 Cyclospora Outbreak The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with health departments in 14 states and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), investigated a national outbreak of Cyclospora in the ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/a-2020-cyclospora-outbreak) [1. View all ](/news_events/outbreaks?illness=cyclospora&year=all) ## All Cyclospora Resources [###### Cyclospora Food Poisoning ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/what-is-cyclospora) [###### Epidemiology of Cyclospora ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/epidemiology-of-cyclospora) [###### Cyclospora’s Mode of Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/cyclosporas-mode-of-infection) [###### Symptoms of Cyclospora Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/symptoms-of-cyclospora-infection) [###### How is Cyclospora Diagnosed? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/how-is-cyclospora-diagnosed) [###### Cyclosporiasis Treatment ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/cyclosporiasis-treatment) [###### What Are the Serious and Long-term Risks of Cyclospora Infection? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/what-are-the-serious-and-long-term-risks-of-cyclospora-infection) [###### Cyclospora Outbreaks ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/cyclospora-outbreaks) [###### Cyclospora References ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora/cyclospora-references) ### Other foodborne illnesses [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)