Diarrhea Associated With Cyanobacterialike Bodies in an Immunocompetent Host

OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient who developed diarrhea secondary to Cyanobacterialike bodies (CLBs) after exposure to contaminated water in his home. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: General community. PATIENT: Healthy, elderly man. INTERVENTION: None, self-limited illness. RESULTS: The patient's clinical course was consistent with illness caused by CLBs. Cyanobacterialike bodies were recovered from the patient's stool sample and the contaminated water to which he was exposed. CONCLUSION: Internists and laboratory technicians should be aware of CLBs as a cause of protracted diarrhea in the community.