Foodborne illness researchers are fielding a wide range of requests to answer questions about the disease and the parasite that causes it, drawing attention to the role of academia in public health emergencies.

Health officials are tracking new cases of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne infection that leads to severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including intense diarrhea.

More than 2,800 cases of cyclospora infection have been reported, largely concentrated in Michigan, state health officials reported Monday.