Iceberg lettuce sold at Taco Bell linked to cyclospora outbreak

Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and sold at some Taco Bell restaurants has been linked to a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a source familiar with the investigation said Thursday. Cases of the intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite are surging across the US, with nearly 7,000 cases confirmed or under investigation since May 1, according to data published Tuesday by the CDC. Confirmed cases alone are more than six times higher than they were at this time last year, and there have been at least 141 hospitalizations. The outbreak linked to the lettuce, however, is considered to be a regional one, centered in the Midwest. The CDC has identified at least 400 cases associated with the outbreak across four states – Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky – and the source told CNN that those states are where the affected Taco Bell locations are.