The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that a widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, has ended. The outbreak, which federal health officials linked to contaminated processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, sickened 12,883 people across the United States.
Federal officials began investigating the outbreak in July and subsequently traced the infections to the recalled lettuce products. Taylor Farms de Mexico recalled all of its iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico on July 17 out of an abundance of caution. According to the CDC, the number of reported cases has significantly declined since the recall, with fewer than two new cases reported daily in August, a stark contrast to the more than 1,000 cases reported in a single day at the peak of the outbreak.
The CDC stated that there is currently no risk of contracting cyclosporiasis from the source linked to this outbreak, as the best-by dates for the affected products have passed and they are no longer available in stores or restaurants. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues its investigation into how the lettuce became contaminated.
Cyclosporiasis is typically contracted by consuming contaminated food or water, and outbreaks in the U.S. have frequently been associated with fresh produce. Symptoms can range from none to severe, including "explosive" bowel movements. While most individuals recover without treatment, particularly those without underlying health conditions, the parasite can rarely be fatal. In this outbreak, two deaths were reported in Michigan, where officials noted the individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been exacerbated by the illness and dehydration.
Of the confirmed cases reported by the CDC, 570 individuals were hospitalized. This figure is substantially higher than the average in a typical year, during which the U.S. reports a few thousand cases of cyclosporiasis, with fewer than 200 hospitalizations annually. The five-year average for cases between 2018 and 2022 was 3,285.
The outbreak affected 21 states. Michigan reported the highest number of cases with over 5,700, followed by Ohio with 2,871 cases and Missouri with 1,071. Several other states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma, reported triple-digit case numbers.