U.S. health officials say the country’s largest recorded multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak is over after 12,883 illnesses, 570 hospitalizations and two deaths.
Investigators traced the outbreak to contaminated iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico and sourced by Taylor Farms↗. The implicated product is no longer available in stores or restaurants.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can cause prolonged gastrointestinal illness, and parasite outbreaks can be difficult to investigate because symptoms may appear well after exposure.
The immediate consumer risk from this event has fallen sharply; the longer-term issue is improving surveillance and produce-safety systems so future parasite outbreaks are identified faster.
U.S. health officials declared the record multistate outbreak over. Investigators linked it to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico supplied by Taylor Farms; the product is no longer in commerce.