BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The CDC is warning of an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an infection caused by a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora, tied to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
The FDA traced the lettuce back to a single supplier in Mexico.
Cyclospora is not a new parasite, and cases typically increase every summer. Health officials say there has also been significant misinformation about how the illness spreads and how widespread the current outbreak actually is.
Paul Rzucidlo with Kern Public Health said reports showing cases in dozens of states have led some people to believe there is one nationwide outbreak — but most of those illnesses are unrelated.
"Notably, CDPH has mentioned that California has seen less cases than normal so far this summer. And none of the cases that have been identified in California are linked to that larger outbreak," Rzucidlo said.
Another common misconception is that the parasite spreads from person to person.
"It's not believed, like some of our other gastrointestinal illnesses, that it can be spread directly from person to person, because it requires some time outside of the body before it becomes infectious," Rzucidlo said.
The parasite is typically spread through food or water contaminated with fecal matter. Historically, larger outbreaks have often been linked to fresh produce.
Rzucidlo said people should wash fresh fruits and vegetables under running water, wash hands before preparing food, avoid cross-contamination, and cook foods whenever possible.
"If we just take those normal precautions around food safety, those should be sufficient to protect us, not just from this but from any other food-borne illness," Rzucidlo said.
Symptoms of infection can include persistent gastrointestinal illness, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite. The CDC has not reported any deaths linked to the outbreak, and Rzucidlo said most people recover on their own. Anyone with prolonged symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.
"While it would not be pleasant to have this, it's not causing super severe disease," Rzucidlo said.
The CDC says the lettuce linked to this outbreak was served only at certain Taco Bell locations in those 5 states. Shredded iceberg lettuce sold in grocery stores or served at other restaurants is not included in this alert.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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