An outbreak of cyclosporiasis — a diarrhea-causing parasitic illness — in the U.S. has been linked to iceberg lettuce from a Mexican supplier and to several Taco Bell locations across multiple states.
In an announcement Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said shredded lettuce from a single supplier in Mexico was sent to Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, and warned the public not to consume the green in those parts of the country.
The federal warnings to the public did not identify the Mexican supplier by name.
Two government officials who spoke to the New York Times on condition of anonymity also named Taylor Farms in California as the U.S.-based distributor of the lettuce and said it was unclear whether it was sent to other food vendors.
A federal official who was briefed on the investigation and not authorized to discuss it also told The Associated Press it was Taylor Farms of Salinas, Calif.
In a statement Thursday, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was “working directly with the identified supplier to determine if potentially contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce remains on the market.”
“Taco Bell has committed to stop using any lettuce from the supplier identified by FDA’s traceback investigation,” it added.
In its latest announcement, the CDC said more than 1,644 people sickened in this outbreak reported eating at Taco Bell locations in five states.
Global News reached out to Taylor Farms and Taco Bell on Friday for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
On Tuesday, ahead of the U.S. confirmation that the outbreak was linked to Taco Bell, the food chain issued a statement to U.S. media saying it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”
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Federal health officials also stressed that other “brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels” could be identified as the investigation continues.
Wendy’s and Chipotle said Friday that they are not affected by the outbreak, Reuters reported.
More than 30 states have reported infections this year, not all of which are related to the current outbreak. The illness is not usually life-threatening and typically clears with antibiotics.
There have been no official reports of an outbreak of cyclosporiasis in Mexico.
Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC. Outbreaks tend to occur most often in the late spring and summer.
The parasite thrives in heat, infects the bowels and spreads through feces. In the past, people have been infected by consuming fruits or vegetables irrigated with feces-contaminated water.
Cyclosporiasis is less common than foodborne illnesses such as salmonella and E. coli. Many cases are never linked to a specific food or other source, and for years, few U.S. Cyclospora outbreaks were reported. But the number started rising about a decade ago, with a particularly notable spike in 2018 and 2019.
How do cases in Canada compare?
Multiple Canadian provinces have seen cases of the parasite so far this year, though there are no clear links at this time to the U.S. outbreak.
There have been 107 cases of cyclosporiasis identified in Quebec since July 11, health officials in that province informed Global News this week — with 30 cases in 2025 for the same time period — who reiterated that the Quebec cases are “not at all on the same scale as the outbreak reported in the state of Michigan.”
“As in previous years, the majority of Quebec cases would be linked to an exposure that occurred during travel, mainly to Mexico,” health officials said.
“As of today, fewer than five cases have reported travel to the United States,” a spokesperson for Quebec’s Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) said.
In B.C., 93 cases have been reported this year, with a health official telling Global News that “cases of cyclospora are reported in B.C. every year” and “most cases are related to travel.”
The levels are being monitored “closely” given the outbreak in the U.S. but are considered “typical,” a spokesperson for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said.
B.C. also “sees an increase in non-travel related cyclospora infections due to eating contaminated, imported raw produce” every spring and summer, the health official stated.
Alberta health officials have confirmed six cyclosporiasis cases in the province this year to Global News, with one case being reported on Wednesday, and the majority linked to travel to Mexico.
Global News confirmed that the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island have seen no cyclosporiasis cases this year, according to provincial government health officials.
Two cases were reported to Public Health Ontario in March, officials there said.
Manitoba health officials have also reported one case this year that is currently under investigation. Health officials in Yukon did not reply to multiple inquiries.
Nunavut health officials confirmed five lab-confirmed cases this year.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it is not considering restrictions on fresh produce imports from the U.S.
— with files from The Associated Press and Global News’ Adriana Fallico
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