A nationwide parasitic outbreak that has sickened thousands of people across the United States has claimed its first confirmed lives, Michigan state health officials announced this week. Two people in Michigan, the state at the center of the ongoing cyclospora outbreak, have died from complications tied to the infection, marking the first reported fatalities in this widespread public health incident.
State health authorities shared that both deceased individuals lived with significant pre-existing chronic health conditions, which may have been severely exacerbated by cyclosporiasis infection and subsequent dehydration. No further personal or demographic details about the victims have been released to the public at this time.
Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the foodborne outbreak has already reached 45 U.S. states, with close to 7,000 cases formally confirmed through laboratory testing. In Michigan alone, state records track more than 11,000 suspected cases and 193 hospitalizations, though a large share of those cases have not received laboratory confirmation. Despite the large number of infections across the country, CDC officials emphasize that cyclospora-related deaths are extremely rare. The parasite is not typically classified as a life-threatening threat for most otherwise healthy people.
Cyclospora cayetanensis, the heat-loving parasite responsible for the outbreak, infects the human intestinal tract and spreads through fecal contamination of food or water supplies. Historically, most outbreaks have been traced back to fresh fruits and vegetables that were irrigated with water contaminated with fecal matter.
Public health investigators have officially linked this year’s widespread outbreak to leaf lettuce imported from a Taylor Farms processing facility in central Mexico, a major supplier that distributes produce to countless food service operations and restaurants across the U.S. In response to the outbreak connection, major U.S. fast-food chain Taco Bell moved quickly to remove all lettuce sourced from this Mexican facility from its menus nationwide. Taylor Farms has also implemented a voluntary recall of all lettuce harvested from its central Mexico growing operations.
The outbreak has drawn international attention as well: UK health authorities have issued a public warning to travelers returning from the U.S. after documenting a small number of cases among recent visitors who fell ill after their trip.
To reduce public risk of infection, the CDC is urging consumers to wash all fresh produce under running tap water, even products that are marketed and labeled as pre-washed. The agency notes, however, that standard washing practices may not fully eliminate the parasite from contaminated produce. For full decontamination, the CDC recommends cooking all fresh produce to an internal temperature of at least 70°C (158°F), a step that reliably kills the cyclospora parasite.