title: Cyclosporiasis: a point source outbreak acquired in Guatemala.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cyclosporiasis is a disease due to Cyclospora cayetanensis, an emerging coccidian parasite first described in 1979. It is an orally transmitted disease that is more frequent in tropical and subtropical areas. Cyclospora cayetanensis has been mainly described as a cause of travelers' diarrhea. This pathogen has given rise to a number of epidemic outbreaks attributable to ingestion of imported foods, particularly from tropical areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study of clinical and epidemiological data of a small epidemic outbreak of C cayetanensis-induced gastroenteritis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven confirmed cases of C cayetanensis among Spanish nationals who had traveled to Antigua Guatemala are described. The incubation period was 6 days. Diarrhea, asthenia, anorexia, borborygmi, flatulence, and abdominal distension were present in all cases. Fever and heart burn in 85.7%. Weight loss in 71.4%. Abdominal pain, rectal tenesmus, and nausea in 42.8%. Vomiting and eructation in 14.2%. Heart burn was a frequent symptom, a finding not often previously described. The infection was probably acquired from raspberry juice. All cases improved with trimethoprim/sulphametoxazol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cyclosporiasis is a cause of travelers' diarrhea. Parasitology laboratories must be advised of clinical suspicion of cyclosporiasis so that they can conduct a suitable targeted study; otherwise, false negative results may arise.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medicine Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. sabino.puente@terra.es
authors.forename: Sabino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puente
authors.forename: Adolfo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morente
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: García-Benayas
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subirats
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gascón
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: González-Lahoz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D021744:Cyclospora / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021866:Cyclosporiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014195:Travel