The microscopic hitchhiker
The global fruit trail
Inside the human host
Tracking the microscopic clues
YOUR GOAL
Master of The biology of Cyclospora
diego Cyclosporiasis
Under the UV light, I glow! (Glow so bright!) / In neon blue and green I show! (Oh-oh-oh!)
diego Recent genetic studies reveal Cyclospora is actually three distinct, non-breeding populations.
diego Guide the tiny parasite through the digestive system to learn how Cyclospora causes infection.
Algae imposter: When first noticed in 1977, the Cyclospora parasite was mistaken for a type of blue-green algae because it fluoresces under ultraviolet light.
A genus of microscopic, single-celled parasites that cause diarrheal illness in humans. In July 2026, Elena contracted this parasite after eating mango salsa garnished with contaminated raw cilantro.
Unlike many other common foodborne parasites, who is the only confirmed host in which Cyclospora can replicate?
What is the protective, circular shell of the Cyclospora parasite called when it is shed in feces?
Under what type of light does the Cyclospora parasite naturally glow, helping scientists identify it?
In which country were the first human cases of what we now know as cyclosporiasis reported in 1977?
In 2023, CDC scientists discovered that the Cyclospora parasite is actually composed of how many distinct populations?
What must happen to Cyclospora oocysts outside the human body before they can cause infection?