According to a representative from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization, nine states are currently dealing with cases of diarrheal illness linked to the cyclospora parasite.
The outbreak now encompasses four additional states—Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania—joining Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Both federal and state health authorities are conducting an investigation into this cluster.
The Washington Post was the first to report on the inclusion of these additional states.
This summer, health departments across the nine states have documented over 12,000 cases of cyclosporiasis, with Michigan reporting the highest number. If these cases are confirmed as connected, it would mark one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in the country in the last thirty years.
In-depth interviews with affected individuals have led health officials to suspect that iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico is the probable source of the outbreak. Investigators from the US Food and Drug Administration and Mexican health authorities are actively looking into the contamination’s origins.
Taylor Farms has initiated a recall of shredded lettuce distributed to restaurants, food service providers, and retailers across 27 states.
This summer has seen cases of cyclosporiasis reported in numerous states. The CDC has indicated that it is examining several clusters, though not all are necessarily connected to a single source.
