Parasitic illness cases have been linked to iceberg lettuce in 15 states, U.S. health officials announced Wednesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been investigating how many of this year's cyclospora cases could be connected to a common contaminated source.
Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and North Carolina were recently added to a list of states with confirmed cases. Previously, the outbreak had been tied to Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Investigators initially focused on lettuce served at Taco Bell, but federal officials have since identified Taylor Farms as the source of the lettuce. The company has recalled iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can cause watery diarrhea, often accompanied by frequent bowel movements. Symptoms can appear weeks after exposure, making it challenging for health officials to identify common sources and contain outbreaks. The parasite infects the intestines and is spread through feces. Outbreaks tend to occur most frequently in the late spring and summer.
Public health experts note that staffing cuts at federal, state, and local levels have reduced resources and capacity for investigations. This, combined with the difficulty in laboratory analysis and identifying patient exposures, contributes to the challenges in tracking and containing cyclospora outbreaks.
This year has seen a significant surge in cyclospora cases nationally, surpassing the previous high in 2019, which reported about 4,700 illnesses. Michigan alone has reported over 12,000 cases, including two deaths. The total national count has exceeded 25,000 illnesses.
The Food and Drug Administration is tracking five separate cyclospora outbreaks, with the 15-state outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce being the largest. Other outbreaks are also under investigation, including one that has sickened 115 people, though no products have been directly linked to those cases yet.