Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Lettuce Expands to Nine States

The multistate Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, served at Taco Bell locations and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico has expanded to nine states, with 1,947 illnesses and at least 98 hospitalizations reported, according to an update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The illnesses included in the outbreak are a subset of Cyclospora infections identified nationwide. Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, 1,947 people infected with Cyclospora and reporting exposure to Taco Bell have been reported by nine states.

The outbreak now includes illnesses from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The previous update included five states; Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania have now been added to the investigation.

Illness onset dates range from June 22 through July 20. FDA said the increase in confirmed cases is due in part to the addition of the four new states and noted that case counts are expected to continue rising because it can take up to six weeks for investigators to determine whether illnesses are associated with the outbreak.

FDA also sought to clarify that a sample of Taylor Farms lettuce previously reported as testing positive for Cyclospora, later determined to be a false positive, does not change the agency's investigation.

"This false-positive lab sample does not change the basis for FDA's ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms," the agency said.

FDA said its traceback investigation and epidemiological evidence continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico from growers in central Mexico. The agency continues to advise consumers not to eat products included in the company's voluntary recall.

FDA said it will continue working with federal, state and local partners to investigate the outbreak and ensure implicated products have been removed from the market.

Cyclospora Cases Continue to Increase Nationwide.

FDA’s outbreak-specific count represents only a portion of the sharp increase in cyclosporiasis cases reported nationwide. Since May 1, CDC has received reports of 4,173 laboratory-confirmed domestically acquired cases and is aware of more than 7,400 additional cases that have not yet been laboratory confirmed and require further investigation and analysis. Many of those additional reports have come from Michigan and Ohio.

Michigan alonehas reported 8,176 cyclosporiasis cases during its investigation period as of July 24, including 160 hospitalizations. The state total includes all reported cases and should not be interpreted as the number linked specifically to Taco Bell or the recalled Taylor Farms lettuce.