A multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to shredded iceberg lettuce has sickened at least 1,644 people across five states, with 94 hospitalizations and no reported deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak, traced to Taylor Farms de Mexico, has prompted a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, affecting products distributed to 27 states and sold under the Marketside brand at Walmart as well as served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Health authorities are urging consumers to discard recalled products and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms of the parasitic illness.
The scale of the outbreak is staggering even by historical standards. Since May 1, the CDC has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis nationally, with more than 5,100 additional cases requiring further analysis. Michigan alone reported 3,309 cases as of mid July. The true number is likely far higher because symptoms can take up to two weeks to appear, many people recover without seeking care, and confirming Cyclospora requires specialized stool testing that routine labs do not perform. The parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis, spreads through the fecal oral route, typically via contaminated water used to irrigate or wash produce, and causes prolonged watery diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, and weight loss that can last weeks without treatment. Unlike bacterial outbreaks, Cyclospora cannot be grown in laboratories, making subtyping and source identification far more difficult.
Taylor Farms de Mexico initiated the recall on July 17, and the FDA increased border screening for implicated products. However, the investigation took a confusing turn when the FDA announced on July 19 that a previously reported positive sample from Taylor Farms had been re reviewed and deemed a false positive, meaning there are currently no confirmed positive product tests for Cyclospora. Despite this, epidemiologic and traceback data continue to point to Taylor Farms as the source, with 90% of interviewed cases reporting they ate iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell. The FDA and CDC are continuing to collect and analyze product samples. Taco Bell has removed the implicated lettuce from affected restaurants, while Walmart recalled Marketside brand iceberg products with best by dates from July 18 to August 3. Health officials emphasize that consumers should not eat recalled lettuce, should clean surfaces that contacted it, and should see a doctor if symptoms persist more than five days, treatment with the antibiotic trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole is effective.
