TikTok food reviewer shares harrowing month battling cyclosporiasis parasite

Christina Hart, a Tennessee-based TikTok food critic with nearly 160,000 followers, revealed she contracted cyclosporiasis, a parasite that causes intense diarrhea, lasting almost a month. Initially attributing her illness to food poisoning, she sought medical testing after a week of worsening symptoms and received a positive result. The infection confined her to restrooms, caused severe bloating and a 17-pound loss, and forced her to suspend her “The Locally Owned Series” videos, which she found depressing.

After about three and a half weeks she began to improve and now feels fully recovered, describing the experience as “miserable” but also a catalyst for new opportunities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 22,000 cases of the summer outbreak across the United States, including two deaths in Michigan.