A multi-state Cyclospora outbreak has been linked to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de México and served at Taco Bell. The FDA traced the lettuce to a single farm in central Mexico, and Michigan health officials found 90% of 190 interviewed patients who ate at Taco Bell reported consuming iceberg lettuce. However, a July 18 lab sample initially testing positive was declared a false positive on July 19; as of July 20, no product sample has confirmed the parasite.

Taylor Farms recalled all iceberg lettuce harvested from the implicated farm, distributed June 29 through July 16 to 27 states. At retail, the Marketside brand sold at Walmart is affected, with use-by dates July 18 through August 3. Consumers should discard or return the product.

The five-state cluster — Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia — accounts for 1,644 illnesses and 94 hospitalizations. Nationwide, the CDC reports 1,645 confirmed cases across 34 states, with 5,100+ additional probable illnesses under review. Michigan is the epicenter with over 5,000 cases. Detecting Cyclospora in food is notoriously difficult; the parasite cannot be cultured, and traceback plus patient interviews remain the primary evidence.

Symptoms include watery diarrhea, weight loss, cramping, and fatigue, appearing 2–14 days post-exposure. Treatment requires the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim/Septra). Patients must request a specific Cyclospora test, as standard stool panels do not detect it. Report illnesses to local health departments and preserve medical records and receipts.