Nearly 10,500 total cases of cyclosporiasis have now been confirmed in 47 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said, amid a significant rise in cases
The figures, released on Aug. 4, show an increase of nearly 4,000 cases since the last CDC update on July 28. The CDC said it is aware of an additional 12,255 unconfirmed cases
On Monday, the first known deaths in the outbreak were recorded in Michigan when two residents died after contracting cyclosporiasis
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According to a statement from Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services, “both individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration.”
“Cyclosporiasis is generally not a life-threatening illness,” the statement added, highlighting that death from the illness is uncommon in the U.S
The CDC confirmed 47 states have reported cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1, with 517 hospitalizations. Many of the additional cases under investigation have been reported in Michigan and Ohio
The CDC website says that case counts in individual states may be higher than those reported by the CDC because state data may include both probable and confirmed cases. “CDC is working closely with states to update numbers as additional cases are confirmed,” according to the federal health agency
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In Michigan, state health officials said on Aug. 4 that the number of cases there has surpassed 11,500, with at least 193 hospitalizations
The latest figures include cases from the largest known outbreak, which has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms andted that 15 states were now linked to the that outbreak, with Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina added to the previous list of nine states
On July 17, Taylor Farms de Mexico recalled all iceberg lettuces
North Carolina is also dealing with a separate surge in cases. On Tuesday, the state 867 infections since May 1 — more than double its total for all of 2025 — with 33 hospitalizations. Health officials there say those cases do not appear to be linked to the Taylor Farms outbreak and have repeatedly identified parsley, cilantro and lettuce as foods consumed by many patients
What’s happening with the Taylor Farms investigation?
On July 16, the Food and Drug Administration and CDC warned Taco Bell customers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from any of the fast-food chain’s locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The agencies later added Illinois, Oklahoma, Kansas and Pennsylvania to that list
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The following day, Taylor Farms, which supplies Taco Bell restaurants, initiated a recall of all iceberg lettuce
On July 19, the FDA revealed that an initial positive test result for cyclospora in a sample of shredded lettuce from Taylor Farms was a “false positive,” before clarifying that the supplier’s lettuce remains the focus of its investigation
On July 21, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that the outbreak was “under control.” But the situation has nonetheless drawn scrutiny from Congress. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said last week that he had launched an inquiry into Taylor Farms’ role in the outbreak over reports that the company attempted to influence the FDA’s response
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said it was “not standard operating procedure” for a food company to ask the White House to delay a product recall after the Wall Street Journal reported that Taylor Farms contacted the administration before the FDA publicly announced the recall
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A Taylor Farms spokesperson told Yahoo: “When questions were raised about thel potentially implicated product from the marketplace.”
How do people get cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis. People become infected by consuming contaminated food or water that contains the parasite. The symptoms of cyclosporiasis are similar to those of otherfoodborne illnesses like norovirus, E. coli or salmonella, except that cyclosporiasis “lasts longer and symptoms can get a little better and then they can come back,”Dr. Jade Le, infectious diseases service line chief at Access TeleCare, told Yahoo
Cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been linked to some types of imported fresh produce, such as raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce and cilantro, according to theCDC
Cyclospora spreads through feces. Produce could become contaminated if a farm’s water supply, such as a reservoir, contains feces or sewage, Le said. Farm produce could also become contaminated if a worker fails to wash their hands after going to the bathroom and then handles the produce.Â
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“What happens is we as humans ingest that contaminated foodmpanied by fever, belly cramps, nausea and vomiting,” Le said
She also stressed that cyclosporiasis is “not transmitted from person to person.” Instead, infection generally occurs after someone consumes contaminated food or water. The parasite usually needs at least one to two weeks outside the body to become infectious after it is passed in a bowel movement,according to the CDC
“You’d have to have maybe gone to the bathroom, not wash your hands, then started working in your garden around your lettuce, and a few days later, this parasite multiplies, infects that lettuce, someone ingests the unwashed infected lettuce and they get sick,” Le explained
What you should do with your produce
You don’t need to immediately throw out your fresh produce to prevent cyclosporiasis, Le said. But there are some steps you can take to make the ingredients in your fridge safer.Â
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“Cooking is probably the most effective way to kill the parasite,” Le explained. That can give you peace of mind when you’re roasting root vegetables, but it doesn’t mean you need to start boiling your fruits and salads. “Washing your vegetables and fruits well should get rid of most [parasites],” she said. And that still holds true for products labeled “prewashed,” she said. For protection against cyclospora — and other food contaminants, such as E. coli — these produce items should still be washed before preparing them, she recommends.
Taking steps to reduce your risk of infection is important, but so is eating fresh produce. “I would not avoid eating any types of salads, herbs, fresh fruits and vegetables,” Le said, adding: “Continue to eat those products, but just be aware if you’re in a state where there’s been an outbreak.”
What to do if you get sick
“Just being aware of your symptoms is the most important thing,” Le said. “If you have watery, explosive diarrhea with stomach cramps, maybe a low-grade fever, reach out to your doctor sooner than later.”
Your health care provider can diagnose cyclosporiasis by testing a stool sample, though patients may need to submit several samples collected on different days, as the parasite can be hard to detect even when symptomatic
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“You have to tell them, ‘Can you please order a test that checks for cyclospora?’ Some of the common stool tests may not specifically check for this parasite,” Le also advised. “If the symptoms are more than just a few days and are going on [for] a week or two, have a low threshold to ask your doctor to look for this.”
For immunocompromised people, health care providers may prescribe antibiotics to treat cyclosporiasis. But for most patients, rest and plenty of fluids are the recommended treatment
Should you be worried?
“You should be worried if you live in a state where there’s a current outbreak,” Le said. “But on a level of worry between one to 10, it’s not the 10 or even a nine or eight. I would say just be more aware of the food you’re eating.”
The main concern with any diarrheal illness is severe dehydration, which can land people in the hospital, Le said. But, she added, “You’re unlikely to die from this unless you’ve let those symptoms go on so long and did not seek medical care.”
