FDA Investigates Sixth Cyclospora Outbreak as US Cases Surpass 11,500

Federal Health Officials Announce New Outbreak Investigation

The Food and Drug Administration announced on Wednesday that it opened an investigation into yet another outbreak of Cyclospora, the unicellular foodborne parasite responsible for a nationwide surge in explosive watery diarrhea illnesses. The agency said 72 cases have been identified in this outbreak, though officials provided no details about the situation or potential source. This marks the sixth Cyclospora outbreak investigation the FDA has opened this year, signaling an unprecedented surge in parasitic infections across the nation.

Overall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports it has received more than 11,500 cases from 41 states. This total includes 4,173 confirmed and over 7,400 probable cases. Among these reported cases, there have been 308 hospitalizations and no deaths, according to the latest CDC data.

This year’s tally so far-just in July-greatly exceeds the normal number of cases the US sees in an entire year. In recent years, the US has reported between 2,000 and 5,000 cases in a year, according to CDC data. With a new outbreak announced, the tally of cases continues to climb. When asked about the national surge in cases earlier this week, anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the situation was “under control.”

Michigan Remains Hardest-Hit State

Michigan remains the hardest-hit state in the current outbreak crisis. The state health and human services department recorded 7,171 cases as of July 22, with 600 new cases reported since Tuesday alone. As of July 23, Michigan had reported 7,664 cases and 106 hospitalizations, demonstrating the rapid acceleration of infections in the state.

Last week, the FDA and CDC announced that one of the previously identified outbreaks had been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico and distributed by Taylor Farms. Some of the lettuce was served at Taco Bell locations and linked cases had been identified in five states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Taylor Farms Outbreak Investigation Takes Controversial Turn

The original parasite outbreak was initially believed to have been linked with lettuce from Taylor Farms, a Taco Bell supplier. However, the FDA announced over the weekend that the tests produced a false positive. Despite the false positive result, the FDA insisted that the parasite outbreak may have still originated with the Mexican supplier, maintaining their suspicion about the source even without confirmed laboratory evidence.

Taylor Farms ordered a recall of the potentially tainted iceberg lettuce, which was sent to 27 states and sold to Americans at grocery stores and Taco Bell restaurants. The situation has raised questions about testing accuracy and the speed of federal response to foodborne illness outbreaks.

Understanding the Cyclospora Parasite

“Cyclospora is a foodborne parasite that gets into people’s bodies, particularly their gut, and causes a diarrheal illness,” said Dr. Steven Goldberg, chief medical officer for HealthTrackRx, an outpatient infectious disease laboratory.

The gut-churning parasite has been found in fresh produce such as parsley, cilantro, snow peas, mesclun lettuce, spinach, salad mixes, and berries including raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Goldberg said a feature all these food items have in common is rough, irregular surfaces, which make it easier for the parasite to hide in crevices and latch on, making them difficult to fully clean.

Cyclospora does not spread through human-to-human transmission and passes on through contaminated food. Cyclospora infections are seasonal, with cases rising in spring and summer. The CDC has been tracking these cases since May 1, when the surveillance period began.

Outbreak Scale Unprecedented Compared to Previous Years

There have been six outbreaks of cyclosporiasis so far this year, three times more than all of last year. There were fewer than 150 confirmed cases of the parasite last year, making the 2026 surge particularly alarming to public health officials. The dramatic escalation has prompted increased scrutiny of food supply chains and import inspection procedures.

“The way this spreads is from a person having diarrhea and some of that material getting into either food prep or food service,” Goldberg said.

Symptoms and Prevention Strategies

The parasite causes cyclosporiasis, which is characterized by symptoms like loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps or pain, bloating, gas, nausea and fatigue, in addition to watery diarrhea, according to food safety regulators. These symptoms can persist and significantly impact daily life for those infected.

Goldberg said the best way to prevent cyclospora is to do more than just rinse food under running water. He recommends manually cleaning the surface of the food, but warns not to use bleach or surface-cleaning agents. Proper food handling and thorough cleaning remain the most effective defense against the parasite, particularly for fresh produce with irregular surfaces.

Federal Response Under Scrutiny

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified a likely link among cases in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky earlier this week. The coordination between federal and state health agencies has accelerated as case counts continue to climb, though critics question whether the response has been adequate given the scale of the outbreak.

The FDA posted the latest investigation on its Foodborne Illness Outbreak website, and the source of the newest outbreak remains unidentified. Multiple states have reported increases in cases, according to the latest report by the CDC. With no confirmed source for the sixth outbreak, health officials urge consumers to remain vigilant about food safety practices, particularly when handling fresh produce items most commonly associated with Cyclospora contamination.