Record Lettuce Parasite Outbreak Over, Origin Unknown
Record Lettuce Parasite Outbreak Over, Origin Unknown
The News
Federal health officials on Friday declared the largest cyclospora food poisoning outbreak in U.S. history over — without ever finding out where it started.
U.S. health officials said Friday that the record multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak, which sickened thousands of Americans who ate contaminated iceberg lettuce, is over, the Associated Press reported.
Food and Drug Administration officials said they are confident all recalled iceberg lettuce tied to this specific outbreak is off the market.
The origin is still unknown. Cyclospora spreads through human feces, and officials have not explained how sewage contaminated enough food to sicken so many people.
Axios reported that the FDA says its investigation remains ongoing.
The Numbers
Nearly 13,000 reported cases were tied to the multistate outbreak, which spanned 21 states, according to federal officials cited by the AP.
Since May 1, the government has received reports of nearly 20,000 lab-confirmed cases nationally — more than 16 times the number reported in the same period last year — plus more than 6,100 suspected cases.
The worst previous year on record was 2019, with about 4,700 illnesses reported nationally.
Michigan was the hardest-hit state, with the most reported cases and the two U.S. deaths tied to the outbreak.
Timeline
The previous worst U.S. year for cyclospora infections, with about 4,700 illnesses reported nationally.
The start of the period in which the government logged nearly 20,000 lab-confirmed cases, more than 16 times the prior year's pace.
Weekly cyclosporiasis cases in the city of Cleveland peak at about 140, according to Cleveland.com.
Cleveland's weekly count falls below 20, signaling the outbreak has passed its peak.
Officials declare the outbreak over. The FDA says it has ended on-site inspections and sample collection at iceberg lettuce growers and the processing facility in Mexico, with samples still pending analysis.
Reactions
"This contamination can happen if produce is grown in soil or comes into contact with water that has been contaminated," Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach for the North Carolina State University food safety program Safe Plates, told the AP.
Newsweek reported that University of Florida food sciences professor Keith Schneider said a definitive cause is unlikely to be found for the thousands of cases that were never linked to the lettuce cluster.
The FDA, for its part, told Axios that its investigation is not finished even as the outbreak is declared over.
What's Next
Samples collected during the FDA's on-site inspections in Mexico are still pending analysis, the agency said Friday.
The FDA's investigation into how the parasite entered the lettuce supply chain continues, and the New York Times reported that the inquiry into how the parasite spread is ongoing.
Thousands of cases this year were never linked to the lettuce outbreak and have no confirmed source.
Officials say consumers do not need to avoid lettuce, because the recalled products are off the market.
More
Investigators initially zeroed in on lettuce served at Taco Bell, the AP reported. Federal officials later focused on Taylor Farms as the source, and the company recalled iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.
The recall covered thousands of packaged salad products combining iceberg lettuce with other vegetables, shipped to major U.S. restaurant chains including Yum Brands, the owner of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC.
The New York Times reported that more than 11,000 cases of the illness had been linked to Taylor Farms lettuce processed in Mexico.
Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea "with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements," according to the CDC. Outbreaks tend to occur most often in late spring and summer, and many cases are never linked to a specific food or source.
The AP reported that the outbreak cast a spotlight on a worsening problem: U.S. regulators are conducting fewer international inspections to catch contaminated produce before it reaches American plates.
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