July 2026: Cyclospora outbreak in 17 states, no recalls yet

John Brunner

John Brunner

Greeter
Staff member
I've been reading of people getting violently ill in various regions of the country from a food borne intestinal parasite. The numbers range from 150 people to 2,000. The article said "17 states," but did not list them. Michigan seems to be reporting the most cases (1,000), where they typically see 50 cases per year. There are no recalls yet. (edit to add: There are also ongoing outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Florida and Connecticut.)

Prior Cyclospora outbreaks in the United States have followed a consistent seasonal pattern, peaking from May through August and declining in September. Past outbreaks have been linked to bagged salad kits with international supply chain ingredients, leafy greens, and fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley & basil, almost always from Mexico. There are reports of this being linked specifically to bagged Caesar salad kits containing romaine lettuce (no brand cited.) Some Taco Bell locations have reportedly stopped serving lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and cilantro onion.

Until specific sources are identified, there are certain steps you can take. I grabbed a list from this article (link)

What You Can Do Now​

  • Wash all fresh produce — including bagged salad greens — under cold running water before eating. Note that washing does not eliminate Cyclospora spores completely, but it reduces the contamination load.
  • If you develop prolonged watery diarrhea lasting more than five days in summer, contact a clinician and specifically mention Cyclospora as a diagnostic possibility. Ask for modified acid-fast staining or PCR testing.
  • If diagnosed with Cyclospora, ask your doctor about treatment with TMP-SMX. Untreated illness can last weeks to months.
  • Monitor the FDA's outbreak investigations page for any specific food recalls or alerts that emerge from this investigation.
  • If you are immunocompromised, discuss fresh produce consumption with your health care provider during active summer Cyclospora seasons.
The CDC says that most people recover without treatment. Symptoms can last up to a month.
 
Last edited:
Shirley Martin said:
I saw that on WRAL, @John Brunner . We sometimes have the ready salad mix. In fact, we are going to have one for supper tonight. I don't think I can wash it so we will just have to take our chance. Wish us luck. :)
Click to expand...
I read that washing removes most--but not all--of the parasite. I have a salad spinner and always wash my greens, whether I buy head lettuce or--rarely--bagged lettuce. I was on another forum and it got me going down the rabbit hole of ozone washing machines.

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You can get tincture iodine here, but it's out of stock right now.

I'd like to find mercurochrome for staining splinters. glass, etc that might be in my fingers/toes. I wonder if it's even made anymore.
 
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