Federal health officials announced Friday that a diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak connected to shredded lettuce has now been traced to four additional states, making it the largest cyclospora outbreak ever recorded in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the outbreak, which was initially tied to Taco Bell restaurants, has expanded to include Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. The agency had previously been investigating cases in five states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Health investigators from the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, and state agencies have been working to trace the lettuce supply chain and interviewing sick individuals about what they ate in the two weeks before their symptoms began.
The confirmed case count linked to Taco Bell lettuce has climbed to 1,947, with at least 98 of those patients requiring hospitalization. No deaths have been reported, according to the CDC’s website. Officials also noted the true number of infections is likely higher, since many cases go unreported.
Earlier this week, FDA officials said their investigation remains focused on lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms as the probable source of the multistate outbreak. The company announced last week that it was recalling iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.
In a separate development, the FDA announced Thursday that it is also looking into a second, unrelated cyclospora outbreak affecting 72 people. Investigators have not yet identified which food products are responsible for those illnesses.
Taken together, cyclospora cases have shattered previous U.S. records. Since May 1, the CDC has received reports of more than 4,100 laboratory-confirmed cases and is examining more than 7,400 additional probable cases across 41 states. Officials have warned that other brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels could still be connected to the outbreak as the investigation continues.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that contaminates food when produce comes into contact with human feces — most often through irrigation or washing with tainted water. Once consumed, the parasite triggers intestinal illness characterized by what the CDC describes as “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.”
On Thursday, health officials in Mexico reported that the parasite was not detected in lettuce or water samples taken from the Taylor Farms facility located in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. Those findings came after Mexican health authorities visited the plant between July 18 and 20, collecting 10 iceberg lettuce samples and four water samples for testing.
