Cyclospora in shredded iceberg lettuce at some Taco Bell locations reportedly caused explosive diarrhea for some people. While officials have made this connection, according to ABC News, they are still looking for other potential sources.
What's happening?
According to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as cited by ABC, cyclosporiasis cases have topped 11,500 in 41 states. About 4,100 were confirmed in labs, and roughly 7,400 more were still awaiting confirmation. A later update from the CDC shows cyclosporiasis in 45 states.
Investigators are still looking into possible sources and separate clusters around the country. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration traced illnesses linked to some Taco Bell restaurants in at least nine states to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms sourced in central Mexico.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the cyclospora parasite. Symptoms can take a week or more to appear, making it harder for people to remember what they ate and more difficult for health officials to identify the source.
Why are these outbreaks concerning?
The main symptom is watery diarrhea, but other symptoms can include stomach cramps, nausea, and low-grade fever.
"Cyclospora is a pathogen that doesn't tend to make people seriously ill, ill enough to be hospitalized," said infectious disease expert Dr. Graham Snyder to ABC, "so people may have diarrhea and say, 'Ah, just diarrhea, I'll sit this one out' and a lot of people get better without treatment, so they may not get diagnosed."
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Unlike some bacteria, the parasite cannot simply be cultured and matched as easily in a lab, so investigators must rely more heavily on interviews and pattern recognition.
The Hill also reported that funding cuts to USAID have made it more difficult for researchers to follow the spread of cyclospora.
Contamination events can expose weak spots in industrial food production like inconsistent hygiene practices. Fast disclosure and clear recall notices can help limit additional illnesses.
What's being done?
Health officials are continuing interviews with sick patients and trying to identify shared exposures. From there, investigators can trace ingredients back through distributors and farms to look for possible contamination points.
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ABC News reported that Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily recalled all central-Mexico-sourced iceberg lettuce in 27 states. The products were distributed between June 29 and July 16 and were labeled with best-if-used-by dates through Aug. 3.
ABC News also reported that Taco Bell said it has stopped using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico at all of its restaurants. The FDA saying it had a false positive from another location has only added to the confusion, but as of now, that is where the advisories stand.
To keep yourself and others safe, check whether recalled lettuce may still be in your home, and contact a health care provider if you have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.
The CDC said determining whether an illness belongs to this outbreak can take up to six weeks, according to ABC.
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