• Posted July 14, 2026

Lettuce Suspected In Growing Multistate Cyclospora Outbreak

Michigan health officials have identified lettuce and other salad greens as the leading suspected source of a growing multistate outbreak of Cyclospora, a parasite that causes watery diarrhea.

The illness it causes, known as cyclosporiasis, has now been reported in more than 30 states. Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects the intestines, and people can be sickened for days.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services pointed to leafy greens after interviewing more than 1,000 patients, though it cautioned that the search for a source is not over, The Washington Post reported. 

"While the investigation is ongoing, current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source for this outbreak, although other food items cannot be completely ruled out," the department said in a news release.

Michigan has been the hardest-hit state by far. It has logged 2,640 cases as of July 13 — a startling jump for a state that normally sees just 40 to 50 cases in an entire year.

"Although we do not have a definite product identified as the source of the outbreak, we want to let Michiganders know what we have learned so far so they can take steps to protect their families," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical executive.

The state and national counts tell strikingly different stories. As of July 9, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 843 cases across the country — fewer than Michigan alone has recorded.

The gap reflects how the cases are counted. The CDC tallies only laboratory-confirmed cases that states have formally reported, and it assumes a roughly six-week lag between when people get sick and when their cases reach the agency. 

States such as Michigan count both confirmed and probable cases close to real time, so their totals run higher and climb faster.

Nationwide, 86 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported as of July 9, the CDC said.

Cyclospora spreads when someone eats or drinks something contaminated with the parasite. It is not passed from person to person, and not everyone infected feels sick.

Federal and state officials are also investigating whether Taco Bell restaurants played a role. Some Detroit-area locations recently stopped serving lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and a cilantro-onion mix, according to The Post. 

Taco Bell has not publicly explained the move.

Some people who got sick had eaten at the chain, but others had not — a sign the outbreak reaches beyond any single restaurant, The Post reported.

Cyclospora is one of the hardest foodborne germs to trace, in part because of the delay between eating tainted food and getting sick. Officials say the true number of illnesses is likely far higher, since some people recover without being tested. 

Past U.S. outbreaks have been tied to basil, raspberries, cilantro, snow peas and salad mixes. 

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information about preventing cyclosporiasis.

SOURCES: The Washington Post, July 14, 2026; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 10, 2026; Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, July 13, 2026