CDC Warns Of Parasite Outbreak Tied To Taco Bell Lettuce In 5 States

Key TakeawaysU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns against eating shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell in five statesMore than 1,644 people who ate at Taco Bell locations have gotten sick; 94 were hospitalizedThe United States is on pace for its worst year on record for Cyclospora infections.FRIDAY, July 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning people not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.The warning, posted Thursday night, follows an outbreak of cyclosporiasis that has sickened more than 1,644 people who reported eating at the chain's restaurants in those five states, according to the CDC. Of those, 94 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. No recall has been issued, and the investigation remains open, The New York Times reported.The lettuce was grown by a single supplier in Mexico, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. The agency has increased screening of that company's lettuce at the border and warned that other restaurants and stores could be implicated as the investigation continues. Not every Taco Bell in the five states received the affected lettuce.It was supplied by Taylor Farms, two federal officials who were not authorized to speak publicly told The Times. The Salinas, California-based company is one of the country's largest producers of fresh lettuce and vegetables, with roughly $7 billion in annual revenue. A Taylor Farms spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment, according to The Times.The CDC has not publicly named the supplier. Taco Bell said Thursday it was voluntarily pulling potentially affected lettuce from select states and would "indefinitely" remove that supplier's lettuce from its nationwide supply chain, The Times reported.Taylor Farms has been tied to earlier outbreaks, including a 2013 cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to salad mix and a 2024 E. coli outbreak linked to onions served at McDonald's that caused 104 illnesses, 34 hospitalizations and one death, The Times reported.Nationally, the United States is on track for its highest number of Cyclospora cases on record. As of Monday, the CDC had confirmed 1,645 cases and 141 hospitalizations across 34 states and was investigating more than 5,100 additional suspected illnesses, according to The Times.State tallies run higher because they count probable cases alongside lab-confirmed ones. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 4,312 cases as of July 16, including 102 hospitalizations.Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical executive, told The Times that not everyone sickened in the state reported eating at a single restaurant. A supplier that sells to restaurants may also stock grocery stores, she said.The CDC is also investigating other cyclosporiasis illnesses and outbreaks nationally that are unrelated to the Taco Bell cases.Symptoms usually start about a week after infection, though onset can range from two days to two weeks or more, the CDC said. They include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, fatigue, weight loss, cramping, bloating, gas and nausea. If left untreated, symptoms can last a month or longer. Antibiotics are the main treatment.Routine stool tests don't always screen for the parasite, so patients may need to specifically request testing for Cyclospora, the CDC said.More informationVisit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information about preventing cyclosporiasis.SOURCES: The New York Times, July 16, 2026; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 16, 2026; Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, July 16, 2026 .What This Means For YouIf you ate shredded iceberg lettuce at a Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio or West Virginia and have watery diarrhea or lingering fatigue, ask your doctor to test specifically for Cyclospora..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

CDC Warns Of Parasite Outbreak Tied To Taco Bell Lettuce In 5 States

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