{"id":221426,"date":"2026-08-21T07:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T07:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/cyclospora-cases-are-starting-to-trend-down-see-states-still-impacted-foods-to-avoid-and-more-today-com\/"},"modified":"2026-08-21T07:00:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T07:00:16","slug":"cyclospora-cases-are-starting-to-trend-down-see-states-still-impacted-foods-to-avoid-and-more-today-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/cyclospora-cases-are-starting-to-trend-down-see-states-still-impacted-foods-to-avoid-and-more-today-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Cyclospora Cases Are Starting to Trend Down: See States Still Impacted, Foods to Avoid and More – TODAY.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shop TODAY Hair Awards: 50 Winners for Every Hair Type and Routine<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Caroline Kee
Health reporter
Cyclospora, the \u201cexplosive\u201d diarrhea parasite that\u2019s sickened thousands of Americans this summer and sparked nationwide recalls, may be on a downward trend, according to new data.
The parasitic infection, also known as cycosporiasis, normally ramps up during the warmer months in the United States. But this year, cases have surged to record-high levels.
More than 15,700 confirmed cases have been reported in 47 states since May 1, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> published on Aug. 18. Some 11,000 probable cases are still under investigation.
That\u2019s a far cry from the average number of infections reported annually. Last summer, the U.S. only saw 1,180 cases, per the CDC.
The stomach-churning infection causes episodes of severe, watery diarrhea, and it usually isn\u2019t life-threatening. However, at least 800 people have been hospitalized, and two people have died from the infection since May.
Fueling the recent surge of cyclosporiasis cases is a massive, mutlistate outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from Mexico supplied by Taylor Farms, which has since issued a nationwide recall of all affected products.
Michigan, the epicenter of the outbreak linked to tainted lettuce, has reported the lion\u2019s share of U.S. cyclosporiasis cases this year, including the two deaths. Both of the people who died had severe underlying health issues, according to Michigan\u2019s Department of Health and Human Services.
Although cases are continuing to rise in Michigan and other states, there are promising signs that diagnoses are slowing, Dr. Kavita Patel, health policy expert and NBC News medical contributor, said on TODAY in a segment aired Aug. 19<\/a>.
\u201cThe curve are showing us that the cases and the diagnoses are slowing down,\u201d she added.
However, the CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration<\/a> are still investigating at least seven cyclosporiasis outbreaks and potential sources.
In the meantime, many Americans are left wondering what\u2019s safe to eat. As cyclospora is often linked to raw produce, is it still necessary to avoid certain fruits and vegetables?
Here\u2019s what to know about cyclosporiasis and how to stay safe during peak summer produce season.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis,<\/a> a microscopic parasite which infects the small intestine.
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.
Person-to-person spread is extremely 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, she adds.
It can take anywhere from two days to two weeks after being exposed to cyclospora to show signs of illness.
The hallmark symptom of cyclosporiasis<\/a> is watery and sometimes \u201cexplosive\u201d diarrhea, per the CDC. If left untreated, the diarrhea can last for several weeks, says Kniel.
Other common signs include abdominal cramping, bloating, appetite loss, increased flatulence and fatigue, per the CDC<\/a>.
Most healthy people will recover from cyclosporiasis on their own without medical care, Kniel notes. However, the diarrhea can persist and occur in cycles, known as relapses, for up to a month or longer if left untreated.
Cyclosporiasis can be treated effectively with a combination antibiotic. \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 explains.
Cyclosporiasis cases and diagnoses may be slowing down, says Patel, but outbreaks of the parasitic infection are not over.
Currently, four of the seven cylcospora outbreaks under investigation by the FDA are considered ongoing, according to the agency\u2019s foodborne illness tracker<\/a>. In six of these outbreaks, including the three listed as \u201cended,\u201d the source is still unknown.
\u201cThere are still a number of outbreaks that do not have an identified source, and I think that\u2019s just a reminder that we\u2019re still in the thick of it,\u201d said Patel.
In the U.S., cyclosporiasis season usually lasts from May through Aug. 31, per the CDC. However, cases could continue to rise later than usual this year.
So far, only one outbreak \u2014 the nation\u2019s largest \u2014\u00a0has been linked to a particular food, iceberg lettuce. The lettuce was supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico and served at restaurants and retailers, but has since been recalled and is no longer available.
More than 9,400 cases associated with this outbreak have been reported in 17 states, per the FDA: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
In Michigan<\/a>, the hardest-hit state, cyclosporiasis case reports and diarrhea-related emergency department visits are slowing down and peaking, NBC News reported previously.
The FDA has not specified where the other outbreaks under investigation are located, and it\u2019s unclear if these are connected.
\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. There\u2019s likely more than one food or water source contributing to the surge, he adds.
Cyclospora is a particularly challenging parasite to track. Due to its long incubation period and lags in testing, it can take weeks for cases to be reported and investigated.
As a result, only a small portion of cyclosporiasis cases reported every year get traced back to a particular food.
Over 27,000 confirmed and probable cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in 47 states since May 1, per the latest CDC data<\/a>.
Only three states have reported zero cases since May 1: New Mexico, Montana and Hawaii.
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>.
Here\u2019s which states are reporting the most infections:
Michigan is being hit the hardest. As of Aug. 13, the state has reported over 13,909 cyclosporiasis cases, 314 hospitalizations and two deaths, per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.<\/a>
Neighboring Ohio has reported nearly 5,000 cases this summer, per information from the state\u2019s health department obtained by NBC News.
Indiana has recorded over 2,000 cyclosporiasis cases since May 1, according to the Indiana Department of Health<\/a>.
Missouri\u2019s cyclosporiasis case count is nearing 2,000, per the state\u2019s health department<\/a>.
Illinois reported nearly 1,000 cyclosporiasis cases this summer, per the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
So far, one recall has been issued due to cyclospora concerns.
On Aug. 17, Taylor Fresh Foods announced it was voluntarily removing all its iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market.
However, the recalled products have expiration dates up to Aug. 3, which means they\u2019re long-expired, says Schaffner.
\u201cThe best-by dates for these recalled products have passed and they should no longer be available in stores or restaurants,\u201d the FDA said.
The affected products (see a full list<\/a>) were distributed through July 16 to food service locations and retailers in 31 states, per the FDA<\/a>. These include Taco Bell and Walmart, which sold two recalled items under the brand Marketside:
Health officials have urged consumers who purchased recalled lettuce and still have it in their fridge or freezer to discard it immediately.
If you\u2019ve been nervous to enjoy salad this summer, you\u2019re not alone. Fortunately, lettuce is generally safe to eat, the experts say.
\u201cI haven\u2019t changed my habits. I had a salad for dinner last night. I\u2019m going to have a salad for dinner tonight,\u201d Schaffner says.
Due to its limited shelf life, the contaminated iceberg lettuce linked to the 17-state outbreak is long gone.
The recalled Taylor Farms lettuce is no longer available in stores or being served at restaurants, per the FDA. Taco Bell removed all affected lettuce from its supply chain in mid-July.
Michigan health officials have also lifted lettuce warnings<\/a>, encouraging residents to resume their normal habits.
\u201cWe still may see new cases (reported) in that outbreak, but that\u2019s from people that ate lettuce weeks ago,\u201d Schaffner says.
Food safety experts recommend people stay up to date on recalls and food safety alerts.
\u201cAlmost all servings of fresh fruits and vegetables that you can buy on the market today are not linked to this outbreak,\u201d says Schaffner.
Historically, past cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. have been linked to certain types of produce \u2014\u00a0specifically, fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw and hard to clean thoroughly. These include lettuce, cilantro, basil, raspberries and green onion.
Avoiding foods implicated in past outbreaks isn\u2019t necessary, says Schaffner, but the choice is up to consumers.
Any food could become tainted if it comes into contact with soil, water or unwashed hands contaminated with feces from an infected person.
\u201cNo fresh produce is completely risk-free,\u201d Wade Syers, a food safety specialist with Michigan State University Extension, tells TODAY.com.
However, some types of fruit and vegetables are considered lower-risk<\/a> because they are less likely to become contaminated and haven\u2019t been linked to past cyclospora outbreaks.
These include:
The best way to prevent cyclospora is by cooking food to least 158 degrees Fahrenheit, as heat destroys the parasite.
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 stay safe:
People with weakened immune systems may need to take extra precautions and should consult their doctor about how to avoid foodborne illness, says Kniel.
If you develop cyclospora symptoms, 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 TODAY Hair Awards: 50 Winners for Every Hair Type and Routine Caroline KeeHealth reporterCyclospora, the \u201cexplosive\u201d diarrhea parasite that\u2019s sickened thousands of Americans this summer and sparked nationwide recalls, may be on a downward trend, according to new data.The parasitic infection, also known as cycosporiasis, normally ramps up during the warmer months in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":221427,"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-221426","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\/221426","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=221426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/221427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=221426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=221426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=221426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}