Cyclosporiasis Map 2026, Foods to Avoid as Outbreak Spreads to 47 States
A widespread outbreak of the cyclospora parasite has affected 47 U.S. states, resulting in over 10,000 confirmed cases and two deaths. Health officials are investigating multiple sources, including a confirmed link between shredded lettuce from Taylor Farms and cases at Taco Bell.
Why it matters
The scale of this foodborne illness outbreak highlights significant vulnerabilities in the national food supply chain and public health monitoring systems.
Infections with cyclospora — what’s become known as the “explosive diarrhea” parasite — have been reported in almost every state in the U.S. as of early August. Health officials are still racing to find the source or sources behind the recent surge in cases of the foodborne illness. On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared the latest national numbers: 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases in the U.S. since May 1, and 12,255 probable cases that are under investigation. Cases have been reported in 47 states so far. There have been 517 hospitalizations and two deaths in this timeframe. The two deaths occurred in Michigan in people with “significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration,” the state’s health department said. Death from cyclosporiasis is rare in the U.S.
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