Federal health officials are investigating a new cyclospora outbreak that had 72 reported illnesses as of Wednesday. The Food and Drug Administration had not identified the linked products, and officials had not said where the cases were located.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can cause severe diarrhea after people ingest contaminated food. It most commonly reaches produce through contaminated water, and the illnesses in this outbreak have not been tied to a specific product.
Michigan is dealing with a separate problem: nearly 1,000 people there have been diagnosed with cyclospora, with no deaths reported as of Wednesday. That outbreak is the state’s largest parasitic infection causing severe diarrhea, and federal and state health authorities have been investigating separate clusters of cyclospora illnesses.
Taylor Farms and central Mexico
Earlier this week, federal officials said they remained focused on lettuce from Taylor Farms as the source of a separate, multistate outbreak. Last week, Taylor Farms announced a recall of iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.
The new outbreak is different from that separate, multistate outbreak, but both involve the same parasite and the same basic exposure problem: contaminated produce can spread Cyclospora cayetanensis before the source is pinned down.
For people who may have eaten produce and later developed intestinal illness marked by frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements, the practical step is to watch for symptoms and follow any updated guidance tied to the investigation. The unanswered question is the one that will determine whether more exposures need to be avoided: what product is causing the 72-case outbreak.
