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By Mark Constance
MICHIGAN – Federal and state health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states, including Michigan.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the FDA and public health agencies are urging consumers not to eat food containing shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
No federal recall has been issued, although Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily removing all shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. The company has also notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it plans to initiate a recall.
Cyclospora is a parasite that causes an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis. People become infected by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Symptoms usually begin about one week after exposure but can appear anywhere from two days to two weeks or more later.
Common symptoms include:
- Frequent watery diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Bloating and gas
Without treatment, the illness can last from several days to more than a month, and symptoms may improve before returning. Older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of severe illness due to dehydration.
Michigan has been hit harder than any other state. As of July 17, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 5,002 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis and 102 hospitalizations, making it what state officials believe could be the largest Cyclospora outbreak ever recorded in the United States. The outbreak has spread to 55 Michigan counties, most recently Alcona County, with southeastern Michigan reporting the largest number of illnesses.
District Health Department No. 2 Health Officer Denise Bryan urged residents to continue taking precautions.
“All four of our counties are impacted by the Cyclosporiasis outbreak. We will continue to conduct case investigations and disease surveillance. Connect with our social media postings for updates! As always, it is important to thoroughly wash your fruits and vegetables and take precautions to reduce risks.”
State health officials began investigating the outbreak in late June after an unusually high number of illnesses were reported. At first, investigators could not identify a single source, but interviews with patients repeatedly pointed to lettuce and salad greens. Federal investigators later narrowed the source to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in the five affected states.
Michigan health officials say not every case in the state is connected to Taco Bell. The CDC is also investigating other Cyclospora outbreaks across the country that are not related to the Taco Bell investigation.
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