Cyclospora outbreak surpasses US record as investigators eye lettuce
A cyclospora outbreak has pushed past the previous US record of roughly 4,700 cases set in 2019, according to health officials . The CDC reports 1,645 confirmed domestic cases and more than 5,100 additional cases under analysis since May 1, spread across 34 states.
Michigan, with over 3,300 cases, has been hit hardest. After interviewing more than 1,000 patients, state officials identified lettuce as a common thread and advised buying whole heads, discarding outer leaves and avoiding bagged salads. The FDA is running traceback investigations on several produce items, and Taco Bell voluntarily pulled certain ingredients at some locations, though federal officials would not confirm a specific vendor.
The parasite causes prolonged diarrhea and is treated with antibiotics; no deaths have been reported. Officials expect case counts to keep rising into August, which suggests the contaminated supply has not yet been fully identified or removed.