COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio health leaders are urging people to take extra precautions when handling produce as cases of a parasitic illness causing “explosive diarrhea” are rising in the state.

There are nearly 200 cases of cyclosporiasis in Ohio, with more than 20 in Franklin County. The state sits only behind Michigan, where cases have topped a thousand. 

Franklin County Medical Director Miller Sullivan said cases typically rise each summer because the parasite thrives in heat. 

“If the water becomes contaminated with this organism, that’s how it gets into the food supply,” Sullivan said. 

Officials have not identified the exact source of this outbreak, which is hitting states nationwide, but said the parasite is most commonly found in produce. They said simple steps when handling food can help prevent getting sick. 

To help prevent the illness, Ohio Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff said to thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables under running water and wash your hands with soap before and after preparing food. 

“Prepare your food properly,” Vanderhoff said. “If you do that, you’re going to dramatically reduce the likelihood that you might acquire this infection.”

Health officials don’t think it’s necessary to avoid fresh produce.

“Go ahead and buy them,” Sullivan said. “Especially if you buy them from a store or a local farmer’s market. It should be fine, but wash them well.”

The disease is typically not life-threatening but can cause watery and sometimes explosive diarrhea. If left untreated, symptoms could return multiple times.  

“You may begin to feel better, but then start getting sick again,” Vanderhoff said. “That’s really characteristic of this particular infection.”

Experts said to see a doctor as soon as you think you may be experiencing symptoms. It can be treated with antibiotics, which helps shorten the length of the illness, but added that prevention is the best way to stay healthy.  

• Columbus ranked eighth on Orkin’s 2026 list of U.S. cities with the most bed bug treatments.
• Ohio had more cities in the top 50 than any other state, with six making the list.
• Recent bed bug sightings were reported in downtown Columbus government offices.

Columbus remains one of the nation’s top cities for bed bug treatments, according to Orkin’s latest annual rankings, while Ohio continues to dominate the list more than any other state.

Orkin ranked Columbus eighth on its 2026 list of U.S. cities with the most bed bug treatments, the same position the city held last year. Cleveland ranked even higher at No. 4. Cincinnati came in at No. 15.

Overall, six Ohio cities made the Top 50, more than any other state: Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Youngstown, Dayton and Toledo. The rankings are based on residential and commercial bed bug treatments Orkin performed between May 2025 and May 2026.

Chicago claimed the top spot for the sixth consecutive year, followed by Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland and Indianapolis.

Ohio continues to rank high for bed bugs

Ohio’s strong showing on the list comes as the state has repeatedly appeared near the top of national pest rankings.

A recent USA TODAY report, citing an analysis by Casino.ca, estimated Ohio has the second-highest bed bug risk for travelers in the country, behind only Michigan.

The Orkin rankings do not measure the total number of bed bugs in a city. Instead, they reflect where the company performed the greatest number of residential and commercial treatments over the past year.

Columbus has dealt with bed bug sightings before

The rankings also follow several high-profile bed bug incidents in downtown Columbus government offices.

Last fall, The Dispatch reported a bed bug was discovered inside the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s downtown office, prompting treatment of the affected area.

The Dispatch also reported that employees at the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation had reported bed bug sightings, leading to inspections and pest-control efforts.

Those incidents highlighted the challenges large office buildings face when dealing with pests that can hitch rides on clothing, backpacks and luggage rather than originating inside the buildings themselves.

It’s not just bed bugs

Bed bugs aren’t the only pests putting Columbus on Orkin’s radar.

In October 2025, Orkin ranked Columbus No. 21 on its annual “Rattiest Cities” list, a slight improvement from previous years but still among the nation’s leading metro areas for rodent treatments.

Taken together, the rankings suggest central Ohio remains a busy market for pest-control companies as the city holds steady on this year’s bed bug list.

Which Ohio cities made Orkin’s 2026 list?

Among Ohio cities, the rankings were:

• Cleveland– No. 4
• Columbus– No. 8
• Cincinnati– No. 15
• Youngstown– No. 32
• Dayton– No. 38
• Toledo– No. 42

Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.

After years of unchecked dominance from the SEC, the Big Ten Conference cemented its place as the best in college football in the 2025-2026 season.

The Indiana Hoosiers completed a remarkable 16-0 season by winning a National Championship, beating Ohio State in the conference championship game, dominating Alabama in the Rose Bowl, then blowing out Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

That completed a Big Ten trifecta, with the Michigan Wolverines winning a championship in 2024, then the Buckeyes following it up by beating Notre Dame to win the title in 2025. While the SEC might have better depth overall, it’s no question that the top of the Big Ten is as good or better than anyone.

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And a new program might be ready to take their turn at the top of the Big Ten: those same Oregon Ducks.

One of the most predictive measures of a team’s strength from year to year is how much production they return from the previous season. It makes sense; the more key players that stay with the team, the better it is for continuity and development.

The Big Ten, oddly enough, has several teams that return much of their production on both sides of the ball. ESPN’s Bill Connelly ran the numbers, finding that teams like Maryland, Nebraska, Minnesota and UCLA all ranked in the top 10 nationally in returning value. Though given how these teams played in 2025, that’s less important. Number 12, though? The Oregon Ducks.

And that carryover production is coming from a team that lost just two games all season, both to Indiana. They handled a very good USC team, 42-27, overcame miserable conditions to outlast the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, beat the rival Washington Huskies, and most impressively, shut out an elite Texas Tech team 23-0 in the College Football Playoff. And they bring back the players responsible for 66% of their overall production, including star quarterback Dante Moore.

Just behind them at 65%? USC, heading into a pivotal season under Lincoln Riley.

Here’s where Oregon has the advantage, however. They bring that percentage back from a team that was significantly better than USC. It’s no surprise then, that per Connelly’s SP+ projections, Oregon is expected to be the No. 2 team in the country, by efficiency on offense, defense and special teams.

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What about the other Big Ten schools, though?

USC is the biggest wildcard. They sit at No. 13 in the SP+ projections, thanks to an elite offense and a defense that’s expected to be solid, if unspectacular. But their special teams projections are all the way down at No. 100 in the country, thanks to a series of disastrous mistakes in 2025. Special teams, though, should be the easiest area to improve upon. So if the Trojans can make some adjustments, they could exceed the eight game win expectancy.

Ohio State and Indiana, the two most recent champions, have a bit of a tougher hill to climb, though their roster composition is far from disastrous. The Buckeyes bring back 60% of their production, while Indiana is at 56%, even with several huge departures. That ranks at No. 31 and No. 52, respectively. Important, but not enough to push either team out of the top 5 in the national projections. And Ohio State sits at No. 1, thanks to consistently elite recruiting and key players like Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith returning.

But if there is an upset brewing at the top of the conference, Oregon might be the place to look. The question then becomes, can they put it all together against a difficult schedule? The Ducks play USC on the road, host Nebraska, travel to Illinois, play Ohio State on the road, host Michigan and have their rivalry game against Washington at Autzen.

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It won’t be easy, but don’t be surprised if at the end of the season, Dan Lanning and the Ducks are right back in the mix.