US says more than 1,400 infected by parasitic Cyclospora illness outbreak
A parasitic Cyclospora outbreak in the US has infected over 4,000 people, with investigations pointing toward contaminated lettuce from Mexico. Mexican health officials dispute these findings, and the FDA has issued conflicting reports regarding the source.
Why it matters
The outbreak highlights significant public health concerns and complexities in international food supply chain safety and regulatory investigations.
US officials claim evidence points to lettuce grown in Mexico, which Mexico’s Health Ministry disputes.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Trucks rest at a Taylor Farms facility in Salinas, California [File: Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty] By Reuters and The Associated Press Published On 22 Jul 2026 22 Jul 2026 An outbreak of a parasitic stomach illness has infected more than 4,100 people across the United States.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday that 308 people with confirmed cyclosporiasis infection were admitted to hospitals across 41 states, with no deaths reported so far.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis usually appear a week after exposure to the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite from eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, and include frequent diarrhoea that can last for weeks.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in