In the summer of 2026, news of people experiencing "explosive diarrhea" made its way across the country due to a widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis. A collaboration of federal agencies led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made tracking of the cyclospora parasite behind the outbreak, along with other pathogens, optional in 2025.
Before the cyclosporiasis outbreak, online rumors claimed that the Department of Government Efficiency's cuts had caused a resurgence of New World screwworm in the United States. The parasite had been largely eradicated in the country since the 1960s.
Snopes is no stranger to covering stories that cause others to avert their eyes, so we dug into our archives to compile 12 stories related to parasitic organisms.
