US Health Officials Declare End to Record-Breaking Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Linked to Contaminated Lettuce

United States health authorities have officially declared the nation’s largest recorded outbreak of cyclosporiasis over, following an incident where contaminated iceberg lettuce sickened nearly 13,000 people across 21 states.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated on Friday that it is confident all recalled lettuce associated with the outbreak has been successfully removed from the market. The agency recorded 12,883 cases linked to this event, which included 570 hospitalisations and two deaths.

Infection symptoms typically emerge about a week after consuming tainted food or water, though they can manifest anywhere from two days to two weeks following exposure. The most prevalent symptom is frequent, watery diarrhoea, alongside potential side effects such as loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, gas, nausea, and extreme fatigue.

Investigators traced the outbreak to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico by Taylor Farms de Mexico, which issued a recall for all of its iceberg lettuce from the area on July 17. Initial attention focused on lettuce served at Taco Bell establishments, but federal investigators later identified Taylor Farms as the distributor supplying restaurants and retailers nationwide.

At the peak of the crisis, over 1,000 infections were documented in a single day. By August, the CDC reported that infections had dropped to an average of fewer than two per day. This event formed part of an unprecedented surge in nationwide cyclosporiasis cases, with nearly 20,000 laboratory-confirmed cases reported in the US since May 1—more than 16 times the volume recorded during the corresponding period last year. The previous high was set in 2019 with approximately 4,700 reported illnesses.

Michigan emerged as the hardest-hit state in the lettuce-related outbreak, recording both of the reported deaths. The situation has intensified scrutiny regarding US food-safety oversight and the government's capacity to detect tainted produce prior to consumer purchase. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections of foreign food facilities have dropped significantly over recent years, falling far short of the target to inspect more than 19,000 international food sites annually.

The FDA did not inspect the implicated Mexican farm until approximately a month after the investigation commenced. Furthermore, the FoodNet programme's mandatory tracking of Cyclospora and five other pathogens was halted, and the Food Safety Modernization Act rule aimed at improving traceability for high-risk foods like leafy greens has been postponed until 2028.

The FDA reported the completion of on-site inspections and sample collections at iceberg lettuce farms and a processing facility in Mexico, while laboratory analysis of those samples remains ongoing. The agency confirmed it will maintain collaboration with state and federal officials in Mexico to continue investigating the outbreak.