{"id":219644,"date":"2026-08-06T12:31:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T12:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/cyclospora-outbreak-2026-map-foods-to-avoid-states-most-impacted-as-us-hits-22000-cases-today-com\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T12:31:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T12:31:13","slug":"cyclospora-outbreak-2026-map-foods-to-avoid-states-most-impacted-as-us-hits-22000-cases-today-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/cyclospora-outbreak-2026-map-foods-to-avoid-states-most-impacted-as-us-hits-22000-cases-today-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Cyclospora Outbreak 2026: Map, Foods to Avoid, States Most Impacted as US Hits 22,000 Cases – TODAY.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shop the Best of Nordstrom\u2019s \u2018Bigger Than Ever\u2019 Anniversary Sale<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Caroline Kee
Health reporter
Infections with cyclospora \u2014 what\u2019s become known as the \u201cexplosive diarrhea\u201d parasite<\/a> \u2014 have been reported in almost every state in the U.S. as of early August. Health officials are still racing to find the source or sources behind the recent surge in cases of the foodborne illness.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared the latest national numbers<\/a>: 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases in the U.S. since May 1, and 12,255 probable cases that are under investigation.
Cases have been reported in 47 states so far. There have been 517 hospitalizations and two deaths in this timeframe.
The two deaths occurred in Michigan<\/a> in people with \u201csignificant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration,\u201d the state\u2019s health department said. Death from cyclosporiasis is rare in the U.S.
It\u2019s unclear which clusters of cases across the country may be connected, officials have said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating six separate cyclospora outbreaks, according to its foodborne illness tracker<\/a>.
The biggest one spans 15 states, including Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, NBC News reported.<\/a> It\u2019s been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell and supplied by Taylor Farms from central Mexico. Taco Bell has since removed all the implicated lettuce from its supply chain, and Taylor Farms has issued a recall.
The FDA has not specified where the other five outbreaks are located, nor any possible sources.
Public health officials are still looking into whether lettuce may be driving cases in other parts of the country beyond those 15 states, as well as other possible sources. It\u2019s not clear if the new cases being reported are recent or from before the Taylor Farms recall.
Food safety experts have said there are likely multiple sources contributing to the cyclospora surge in the U.S. and that cases could continue to rise through the end of August.
\u201cThere may be multiple unrelated outbreaks going on at the same time,\u201d Donald Schaffner, Ph.D., professor of food microbiology in the Department of Food Science at Rutgers University, tells TODAY.com.
Here\u2019s where cyclosporiasis is surging in the U.S., what to know about the stomach-churning infection and how to stay safe during peak fresh produce season.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis,<\/a> a microscopic parasite carried in human feces. The parasite is not new, and cases normally increase in the summer in the U.S.
People become infected with cyclospora by consuming food or water contaminated with particles of feces from an infected person, Kali Kniel, Ph.D., professor of microbial food safety at the University of Delaware, tells TODAY.com.
The parasite infects the small intestine, causing severe bowel upset. The hallmark symptom of cyclosporiasis<\/a> is watery and sometimes \u201cexplosive\u201d diarrhea, per the CDC. Other signs include abdominal cramping, bloating and fatigue.
If left untreated, the diarrhea can last for weeks, but cyclosporiasis isn\u2019t usually life-threatening, says Kniel. Doctors can treat the infection with a combination antibiotic.
Person-to-person spread is very unlikely. That\u2019s because after the parasite is shed in feces, it takes one to two weeks living outside the body to mature and become infectious, says Kniel.
Cyclospora can get into produce if it\u2019s grown in soil or washed with water contaminated with feces; fresh fruits and vegetables are common culprits, says Kniel.
Almost 23,000 confirmed and probable cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in 47 states since May 1, per the latest CDC data as of Aug. 4<\/a>.
Of these, the CDC has confirmed 10,468 cases and another 12,255 are under investigation, the agency said.
The true number of cyclospora infections in the U.S. is likely higher than the numbers currently being reported \u2014 that\u2019s because many people recover on their own and never get tested for cyclospora, per the CDC<\/a>.
Most of the cases are tied to a massive outbreak primarily in the Midwest and South spanning 15 states, sources told NBC News. (The FDA has only confirmed the first nine of these.)
Only three states have reported zero cases since May 1: New Mexico, Montana and Hawaii.
Here\u2019s which states are reporting the most cases:
Michigan is being hit the hardest. As of Aug. 5, the state has reported 12,218 cyclosporiasis cases and 193 hospitalizations, per per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.<\/a>
There are some promising signs that cases may be peaking in Michigan, but the outbreak is still not over, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state\u2019s chief medical executive, told NBC News<\/a> in late July.
Ohio has reported over 4,000 cases, per the state health department.
Indiana<\/a> has recorded nearly 1,349 so far, according to the state health department.
Missouri has had 1,095 infections since the start of the year, per the state health department.
Illinois reported 995 confirmed and probable cyclosporiasis cases as of Tuesday, state health officials said.
North Carolina\u2019s case count is 867 since May, according to the state health department.
There have been 753 cyclosporiasis cases since May 1, according to the state health department.
Kansas is reporting between 200-499 cases, per the CDC tally.
Kentucky is also reporting between 200-499 cases, according to CDC data.
Oklahoma is also in the 200-499 range for cyclosporiasis cases, according to the CDC.
So far, the FDA<\/a> and CDC<\/a> have identified one possible source of cyclospora cases in the large outbreak affecting Michigan and nearby states: shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell.
Health officials zeroed in on the fast-food chain after interviewing over 1,900 people sickened in these states who reported eating at Taco Bell in June or July, the FDA said.
Taco Bell has removed all affected lettuce from its supply chain. The supplier, Taylor Fresh Foods<\/a>, issued a voluntary recall of all of its iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico.
However, it\u2019s possible that another source is also driving cases in the 15-state outbreak and elsewhere in the U.S. Officials in North Carolina have said that fresh parsley and cilantro<\/a> may be behind the increase in cases in the state.
Investigations are ongoing. \u201cAdditional implicated brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels may be identified, reaching additional states,\u201d the FDA said in late July<\/a>.
Schaffner and Kniel both suspect there\u2019s more than one food or water source fueling outbreaks nationwide.
Past cyclosporiasis outbreaks<\/a> in the U.S. have been linked to the following foods:
Cyclospora is a particularly challenging parasite to track, food safety experts tell TODAY.com.
The incubation period for cyclosporiasis is long, and symptoms may not appear for up to 14 days. Then, confirming a diagnosis through testing and being interviewed by an epidemiologist can take weeks or longer, says Schaffner. By that point, the person isn\u2019t likely to remember what they ate that could\u2019ve caused their symptoms.
As a result, only a small portion of cyclosporiasis cases every year get traced back to a particular food item.
It\u2019s also worth noting that, in July 2025, the CDC\u2019s foodborne surveillance network made testing for cyclospora optional<\/a>, which could be impacting the response, Schaffner says. Federal health authorities have denied<\/a> that changes to surveillance are affecting the investigation.
The only way to prevent cyclosporiasis is to avoid food and water that may be contaminated with feces.
So far, only one recall has been issued<\/a> due cyclospora concerns: Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from central Mexico.
In the recall, 33 out of the 35 affected products were sent to food service locations. Two were provided to Walmart and sold under the brand Marketside:
The recalled products were distributed to 27 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The FDA is urging consumers not to eat any of the recalled lettuce, including at Taco Bell or other restaurants. It encourages consumers to ask about the source of iceberg lettuce before ordering it at a restaurant.
Still, experts are urging people not to panic<\/a>.
\u201cAlmost all servings of fresh fruits and vegetables that you can buy on the market today are not linked to this outbreak, and are not any more likely to cause illness because of the outbreak,\u201d says Schaffner.
\u201cWe know that fresh (produce is) part of a healthy diet, and I certainly don\u2019t want to discourage that,\u201d adds Schaffner, who still plans to enjoy his favorite fruits and vegetables this summer.
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of public health in Ohio, one of the hardest-hit states, said in a press conference Tuesday that it\u2019s not necessary to avoid fresh fruits and vegetables, and instead to wash produce and inspect it for signs of damage.
The experts encourage people to stay up to date on recalls<\/a> and food safety alerts.
Cooking food to least 158 degrees Fahrenheit is the best way to protect yourself, as heat destroys the parasite. Freezing can also inactivate cyclospora, but it\u2019s not a guarantee.
Washing produce thoroughly can reduce the risk of foodborne illness, but it won\u2019t eliminate cyclospora entirely.
Health authorities have offered a few more tips to prevent cyclospora infection:
People with weakened immune systems may need to take extra precautions and should consult their doctor about how to avoid foodborne illness, says Kniel.
\u201cWe are seeing hospitalizations, so if you do get sick, good hydration is critical, and so is getting clinical care because this can be treated,\u201d Kniel adds.
If you develop symptoms of cyclosporiasis, contact your doctor.
Caroline Kee is a health reporter at TODAY based in New York City. She covers a range of medical news, consumer health, and wellness topics.
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Shop the Best of Nordstrom\u2019s \u2018Bigger Than Ever\u2019 Anniversary Sale Caroline KeeHealth reporterInfections with cyclospora \u2014 what\u2019s become known as the \u201cexplosive diarrhea\u201d parasite \u2014 have been reported in almost every state in the U.S. as of early August. Health officials are still racing to find the source or sources behind the recent surge in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":219645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-219644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-us","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219644\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/219645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}