Illinois health officials warn of high rate of 'explosive diarrhea' caused by contaminated foods

State health officials are warning the public about a heightened number of cases of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, also known for its symptom of "explosive diarrhea," following an even larger outbreak in Michigan.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported 141 cases of the illness, which is most often contracted by consuming contaminated foods. The "higher-than-average" number of cases is consistent with what has been reported in other states, an IDPH spokesperson said.

According to the IDPH spokesperson, 62 of the cases in Illinois reportedly traveled outside the U.S., while 59 cases traveled domestically. Another 20 cases are pending investigation to determine travel status.

In Michigan, more than 700 people have become ill with cyclosporiasis since June 22, according to the Michigan Department of Public Health.

The most common symptoms of the illness are diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping and bloating, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Treatments include resting and drinking plenty of fluids, as well as antibiotics, according to the CDC.

"At this point, no single source or cause of this increase has been identified, and there is no evidence of a large outbreak accounting for all or most of these cases," the IDPH spokesperson said. "IDPH continues to work with the CDC and other public health partners to look for trends."

The best practices to prevent cyclosporiasis include washing your hands before eating; washing all fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting or cooking; and refrigerating cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables as soon as possible, according to the CDC.

Prior to most of the Illinois cases and the Michigan outbreak, the CDC had reported 145 cases of cyclosporiasis between May 1 and June 16 in 17 states across the U.S. Twenty of those people were hospitalized, and no cases resulted in death, the CDC said.