Tracing Cyclospora: NC cases not connected to Taco Bell lettuce, source of bug still TBD
North Carolina health officials report that local Cyclospora cases are not linked to the Taco Bell lettuce outbreak affecting other states. Experts note that tracing the source of Cyclospora is notoriously difficult due to long incubation periods and the limitations of current genetic fingerprinting.
Why it matters
The difficulty in tracing foodborne illnesses highlights the challenges in public health surveillance and the limitations of current epidemiological tools.
Cyclospora outbreaks across five states are linked to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration . However, that link only officially applies only to: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
Officials have not identified the source of the outbreak in North Carolina, although the state Department of Health and Human Services on Friday said the most commonly reported foods linked to cases in North Carolina include parsley, cilantro, and lettuce.
On Friday, Taylor Farms, a grower that supplies lettuce to Taco Bell said it would removing and replacing its lettuce.
“If you've eaten at Taco Bell, and you have diarrhea, you should go to the doctor. If you've eaten at Taco Bell, and you don't have diarrhea, I would say you're probably fine,” Don Schaffner told WRAL Investigates.
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