Overview
- A multi-state Cyclospora outbreak has left more than 1,600 confirmed infections with about 5,100 cases under investigation and at least 94 hospitalizations as of July 20.
- Early probes linked many illnesses to chopped iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell from a single supplier, prompting Taco Bell to remove the product from restaurants and the CDC to warn consumers in five states.
- The FDA later said a previously reported positive Cyclospora test on sampled lettuce was false and apologized to the supplier, leaving no confirmed positive product tests to date.
- Patients report prolonged, watery or 'explosive' diarrhea that can last weeks and often requires medical care, and doctors say Cyclospora is usually spread through fecally contaminated produce or water rather than person-to-person contact.
- Investigators warn that Cyclospora testing is technically difficult and tracing contamination through fresh-produce supply chains is complex, which keeps the definitive source unresolved and could prolong economic and reputational impacts for suppliers.