US identifies cases of cyclosporiasis in 4 more states, ramps up investigation
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The US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are expanding their investigation into an outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to tanned iceberg lettuce from central Mexico after identifying cases in four other states.
The outbreak now includes cases from nine states: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the FDA said Friday.
A total of 1,947 people infected with the Cyclospora parasite, through exposure to Taco Bell, were reported by nine states, the FDA said, citing disease data collected by the CDC. There have been at least 98 hospitalizations and no reported deaths from the disease, the regulator said.
The Oklahoma Department of Health said it is working with the FDA to determine if other cases are related to the outbreak.
Cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in at least 41 states this year, though investigators are still working to determine how many cases are linked to the outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and used in Taco Bell restaurants.
Update (July 20, 2026): The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now says that the results of an investigation into chopped iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms should be considered false. The company said the agency apologized, and no test results for a single product were identified. US health officials say contaminated lettuce imported from the Mexican branch of US produce supplier Taylor Farms is behind an outbreak of diarrheal disease in the US.
Taylor Farms is reportedly closing its Mexican location
State health departments in Nebraska, Rhode Island, New Mexico and Maryland told Reuters they had not found evidence linking cyclosporiasis cases reported in those states this year to the latest multi-state outbreak.
New Hampshire health officials have confirmed nine cases of cyclosporiasis linked to the recalled Taylor Farms lettuce used in Cheshire Medical Center’s cafeteria and are investigating possible related illnesses.
Health officials in North Carolina said the state’s increase in cyclosporiasis cases does not appear to be linked to the multi-state Taco Bell outbreak, with parsley, cilantro and lettuce the most commonly reported exposures to patients.
Michigan, the hardest-hit state, reported 8,176,532 cases of intestinal infections on Friday, up 532 from the previous day.
On July 17, Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce from central Mexico. The recall includes lettuce sold in stores, served in restaurants and distributed to food service customers.
The FDA has urged the public to continue to avoid all products listed in the Taylor Farms recall.
Taylor Farms has temporarily closed a processing facility in Central Mexico that U.S. health officials have linked to the outbreak, an industry source familiar with the matter said Thursday.
