US cyclospora outbreak: How the parasite makes people sick

US is currently battling a growing Cyclospora outbreak across the states. According to researchers, it is the largest outbreak of its kind in the country's history and health officials are yet to identify the source. Since May 1, 1,645 infections with the parasite have been confirmed across 45 states and more than 5,100 further cases are under investigation.According to Joel Barratt, a molecular parasitologist at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, these figures have quickly surpassed the total number of cases typically seen in a year. More than 100 people with parasite infections have been hospitalised, but no deaths have been reported.What is Cyclospora and how does it affect people?Cyclospora cayetanensis is an intracellular parasite, meaning that it invades and then hijacks a host's cells, especially those in the lining of the intestines, according to the journal Nature.