Taco Bell Lettuce Linked to Nationwide Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Federal health officials have linked shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants to a nationwide outbreak of the parasitic infection cyclosporiasis.

The gastrointestinal illness has sickened people in 34 states. In Michigan alone, at least 102 people have been hospitalized since June 22, with over 4,300 cases reported statewide.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and state officials traced the outbreak to a single Mexican supplier of iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

The White House said it is closely monitoring the situation. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the FDA and CDC have necessary resources, though some experts have disputed that claim.

For diagnosis, doctors advise a specific stool test known as a GI pathogen panel. This PCR-based screening can identify cyclospora and other pathogens simultaneously, offering a significant improvement in detection over the past decade.