US cyclospora outbreak tied to recalled iceberg lettuce spreads to 20 states, sickens 11,400+

Parasitic illness cases linked to recalled iceberg lettuce have now been confirmed in 20 states, federal health officials confirmed Thursday, expanding the scope of what health experts describe as the largest cyclospora outbreak of its kind in the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration said government scientists have identified cases in three additional states — Georgia, Tennessee and Texas — since the previous tally, bringing the total number of people sickened to 11,458, up from about 10,900 reported the prior week. The illnesses have been linked to lettuce grown at a farm in central Mexico operated by Taylor Farms, a major U.S. produce supplier, which has issued a recall.

The FDA said its staffers are continuing to inspect and test produce at the farm in cooperation with Mexican government officials. "We remain confident that all recalled iceberg lettuce related to this specific cyclospora outbreak is off the market," the agency stated, according to AP News.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea "with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements," according to the CDC. The heat-loving parasite infects the bowels and spreads through feces. The illness, called cyclosporiasis, is less common than foodborne illnesses caused by salmonella or E. coli, and many cyclospora cases are never linked to a specific food source.

The CDC reported this week that there have been approximately 29,000 confirmed or suspected cyclospora cases in the U.S. this year overall, including outbreak-linked and unrelated infections, per AP News. There have been 922 hospitalizations. Previously, the worst year for cyclospora infections in the U.S. was 2019, when roughly 4,700 illnesses were reported nationally.

Investigators initially narrowed in on lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants before focusing on Taylor Farms as the source. Dr. Juan Luis Marquez, medical director of the Washtenaw County and Livingston County health departments in Michigan, said cyclospora outbreaks can be difficult to investigate and contain because it can take weeks between exposure and symptom onset, laboratory analysis of the parasite is complex, and identifying common exposures requires extensive interviewing of sick individuals, AP reported.

The recall covers iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico and distributed across U.S. states. Health officials urge consumers who have purchased recalled lettuce to discard it and to seek medical attention if they develop symptoms consistent with cyclosporiasis.

**Sources:** Associated Press