Here’s how ‘parasite’ went from a laughing matter to a serious biological threat

Spinach is displayed for sale on shelves at a Target store on July 23, 2026 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Cyclospora and Christopher Nolan’s nearly three hour adaptation of The Odyssey have something in common — parasites.

For Cyclospora, that connection is easy to make. The microscopic parasite causes cyclosporiasis, the intestinal illness that has sickened thousands of Americans.

And while Odysseus does not face an intestinal parasite on his long