WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal health officials on Friday linked 1,644 Cyclospora infections and 94 hospitalizations across five states to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants, prompting the supplier to remove lettuce sourced from central Mexico as investigators trace the multistate outbreak.
No deaths have been reported. Confirmed illnesses have occurred in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC advised consumers not to eat menu items containing shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico at Taco Bell locations in those states. Lettuce sold in grocery stores or served by other restaurant chains is not included in the alert.
The Food and Drug Administration’s traceback investigation identified a single Mexican supplier used by Taco Bell restaurants where infected customers reported eating.
Taylor Farms de Mexico began voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17 and informed the FDA that it planned to initiate a recall. A formal recall had not been issued when the CDC posted the alert.
The investigation remains open. The reported total includes laboratory-confirmed infections linked to the implicated lettuce and does not represent all cyclosporiasis cases under investigation nationally.
Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause watery diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. Symptoms generally appear about one week after infection but can begin within two days or take more than two weeks to develop.
Untreated symptoms may persist for several days, a month or longer. Some infected people experience no symptoms.
The CDC urged anyone experiencing symptoms to contact a healthcare provider, remain hydrated and specifically request testing for Cyclospora because routine stool tests may not screen for the parasite.
Healthcare providers should report diagnosed cases to their local health departments. Public health investigators may contact infected patients to determine what they ate during the two weeks before symptoms began.
Washing produce can reduce contamination but may not eliminate Cyclospora. Cooking produce to at least 158 degrees can kill the parasite.
Additional outbreak information is available at https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html.
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