Cyclospora outbreak tied to lettuce now linked to 15 states, CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Wednesday that 15 states have been linked to a Cyclospora outbreak caused by iceberg lettuce. This brings the total number of affected states to 15, up from the previous nine. Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and North Carolina have now been added to the list of affected states.

Initially, the outbreak was thought to be tied to lettuce served at Taco Bell, but investigators have now focused on Taylor Farms as the source. The company has subsequently recalled iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clarified that a previous positive test result for cyclospora in lettuce from Taylor Farms was a false positive.

The CDC advises that it may take up to six weeks to determine if a sick person is part of the outbreak. Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite, causes watery diarrhea with frequent bowel movements and is more common in late spring and summer. This year, over 25,000 cases have been reported in the U.S., surpassing the worst year in 2019, which saw around 4,700 illnesses.

Michigan has reported more than 12,000 cases, including two deaths. The FDA is currently tracking five ongoing cyclospora outbreaks, with the 15-state outbreak being the largest. Staffing cuts at all levels of public health have made it challenging to investigate and contain the outbreak, as it can take weeks for symptoms to appear, parasites to be analyzed, and sick individuals to be interviewed for common exposures.