Cyclospora outbreak dubbed "lettuce-gate" as health concerns spread across U.S.
Summary
A cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from a farm in central Mexico has spread to nine U.S. states, with nearly 2,000 confirmed cases and close to 100 hospitalizations reported. Health agencies and companies have issued recalls and suspended lettuce production, but officials say the outbreak may not be fully under control.Key Facts
- The cyclospora parasite causes an illness with symptoms like severe diarrhea, and it spreads through contaminated food or water.
- The outbreak involves iceberg lettuce believed to come from Taylor Farms in central Mexico.
- As of Friday, there are 1,947 confirmed cases and 98 hospitalizations in nine states, including Illinois, Kansas, and Pennsylvania.
- Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce from the region and suspended production there.
- The FDA and Mexico’s government reported mixed test results on the lettuce samples but continue investigations.
- The CDC suspects multiple outbreaks in 41 states, with over 4,100 confirmed and 7,400 suspected cases since May 1.
- A new cyclospora outbreak linked to other produce like parsley and cilantro is also under investigation.
- Symptoms of cyclosporiasis can take up to two weeks to appear, making outbreak tracking slow.
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