Iowa medical students study nation’s largest Cyclospora outbreak as cases continue to rise
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Updated: 9:23 PM CDT Aug 5, 2026Editorial Standards ⓘ
Pepper Purpura
Reporter/Multimedia Journalist
Iowa medical students study nation’s largest Cyclospora outbreak as cases continue to rise
Updated: 9:23 PM CDT Aug 5, 2026Editorial Standards ⓘ
Pepper Purpura
Reporter/Multimedia Journalist
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa —
Iowa has been added to the growing list of states connected to the nation’s largest recorded Cyclospora outbreak, giving public health students at Des Moines University a chance to study a major disease investigation as it unfolds in real time
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday linked Iowa to the multistate outbreak tied to recalled iceberg lettuce. More than 6,300 people have become sick across 15 states, and two deaths have been reported
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In Iowa, 83 confirmed cases have been identified by the CDC as of Tuesday
KCCI reached out to Iowa Health and Human Services for additional information about the state’s response but did not receive a response before publication
For Dr. Rachel Reimer, chair of Des Moines University’s Public Health Programs, the outbreak has become an important teaching opportunity
“We don’t want an outbreak to happen, but anytime there is an outbreak, we use this as an opportunity to teach our students. And this is exactly the type of thing that they’re going to be encountering,” Reimer said
A real-world classroom
Unlike many graduate programs, Reimer said many of DMU’s Master of Public Health students are already working in public health or healthcare while earning their degrees
“Our students are actually in the field dealing with this outbreak,” she said. “They’re at your local and county public health office; they’re working on the community health side of your health care facility.”
That allows students to bring the ongoing investigation directly into the classroom
Reimer said students are analyzing CDC data while discussing epidemiology, biostatistics, health communication, disease surveillance and public health policy. They also examine what public health agencies are doing well and what could be improved as the investigation continues
Why this outbreak stands out
Reimer said one aspect of this outbreak has made it particularly valuable from an educational standpoint: investigators spent weeks trying to identify the source
“What has made this different is that thee sort of collaborative response from retailers and state and local government has been hindered by the fact that the
She said the investigation has also illustrated another lesson for students: outbreaks don’t stop at borders
“When one person gets sick, and a physician is treating a patient, that’s obviously health care,” Reimer said. “But when multiple people start getting sick, that’s where public health comes in.”
She added that effective responses depend on collaboration among local, state and federal agencies because “public health is a team sport.”
Why case numbers continue to rise
Reimer cautioned that confirmed case counts reflect illnesses that occurred weeks earlier
She said there’s currently about a six-week delay between when people become ill and when those cases are reflected in surveillance data, meaning officials expect reported numbers to continue increasing as laboratory confirmations come in
She also noted that not everyone with Cyclospora is immediately tested, which can further delay identifying cases as part of an outbreak
Separating facts from misinformation
As public attention to the outbreak grows, Reimer encourages Iowans to rely on trusted public health
She recommends following information from the CDC and Iowa Health and Human Services, saying those agencies will provide the most current information as investigators continue tracing illnesses and identifying additional cases
<img src="https://healthylife7.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/5367b506-df90-4c61-9dbe-c07b7af96cfa.jpg" alt="CDC adds Iowa to cyclosporiasis outbreak list”>
Cyclosporiasis outbreak: CDC expands list to include Iowa
New program aims to strengthen Iowa’s public health workforce
The timing of the outbreak coincides with a new program at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences designed to prepare the next generation of epidemiologists
This fall, the university will launch Iowa’s only fully online epidemiology concentration, giving graduate public health students specialized training in disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and data analysis
Reimer said the need for those skills has become increasingly clear
“We don’t have enough people who are trained in data analysis and disease surveillance. So we have a program where we’re training students to do that here,” Reimer said
She said many of the program’s students are already working in public health and healthcare, allowing them to immediately apply what they learn in the classroom
“Our students are typically working professionals who are already in public health. We’ve created an epidemiology concentration to train them to be the best and meet the workforce needs,” Reimer said
The new concentration is designed to help fill staffing shortages in public health agencies while preparing professionals to respond to outbreaks like the ongoing Cyclospora investigation
