Cyclospora Outbreak Ends, But "Diarrhea Lettuce" Origin Still a Mystery 😷

Federal health authorities have officially declared the largest cyclospora food poisoning outbreak in U.S. history to be over. While this is a relief for many, questions still linger regarding how the parasite, which causes severe diarrheal illness, managed to contaminate the food supply. This year saw an unprecedented surge in cyclospora cases.

Nearly 13,000 cases were tied directly to the multistate outbreak, primarily linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce. In total, the government has received reports of almost 20,000 lab-confirmed cases since May 1, along with over 6,100 suspected cases. This represents a more than sixteenfold increase compared to the same period last year, dwarfing the previous worst year in 2019, which saw about 4,700 illnesses nationally.

Officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have expressed confidence that all recalled iceberg lettuce associated with this specific outbreak, sourced from Taylor Farms and grown in central Mexico, has been completely removed from the market. However, despite the outbreak being declared over, the precise origin of the contamination remains a mystery.

Cyclospora is spread through human feces, meaning that somehow sewage contaminated food, sickening thousands.

This contamination can happen if produce is grown in soil or comes into contact with water that has been contaminated,

explained Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach for Safe Plates, a North Carolina State University food safety program.

While a significant portion of this year's surge was linked to iceberg lettuce across 21 states, thousands of other cyclospora cases have not been connected to that specific outbreak, adding to the complexity of the situation. Michigan was identified as the hardest-hit state, reporting the most cases and tragically, the two U.S. deaths associated with the outbreak.

The continuing unknown origin highlights the challenges in tracking foodborne illnesses and ensuring the safety of our produce.

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