The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning on July 16, urging consumers to avoid shredded lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. This advisory comes as health officials investigate a widespread outbreak of Cyclospora infections, a parasite known to cause gastrointestinal distress, including explosive diarrhea.
State health officials and the CDC have connected more than 1,600 cases of diarrhea to the Cyclospora parasite. While the agency is monitoring nearly 7,000 confirmed or suspected cases across numerous states, a specific cluster of over 1,600 cases has been traced to a single supplier of iceberg lettuce originating from Mexico. Investigations are ongoing, but health officials suspect that the shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell may be a significant factor in this outbreak.