Updated July 29, 2026: CDC and FDA report a nine-state Cyclospora outbreak involving 1,947 people who reported Taco Bell exposure. Ninety-eight patients were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported.
Public health agencies link the outbreak to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and included in Taylor Farms de Mexico’s voluntary recall. FDA says the false-positive border sample did not change the basis for its investigation or the evidence supporting the recall.
People who developed prolonged or returning watery diarrhea after eating at Taco Bell should seek medical care and ask whether their stool test includes Cyclospora. For continually updated legal and evidence-preservation guidance, read Pritzker Hageman’s national Cyclospora outbreak update.
How Big Is the 2026 Cyclospora Increase?
CDC reports 6,707 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases in 45 states, including 423 hospitalizations and no deaths. CDC is also reviewing more than 11,500 additional reports. Michigan separately reports 10,077 cases under a broader state definition. The Michigan total, CDC’s national total, and the 1,947-case Taco Bell outbreak overlap and should not be added together.
What Food Is Linked to the Taco Bell Outbreak?
CDC and FDA link the nine-state outbreak to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and served at certain Taco Bell locations. FDA says its outbreak data and records tracing the lettuce continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms growers in central Mexico. FDA initially reported that a border sample tested positive for Cyclospora, but later determined that it was a false positive. FDA says the result did not change the basis for the investigation or the voluntary recall. No product sample had a confirmed positive Cyclospora result as of July 19.
Is There a Lettuce Recall?
Yes. On July 17, Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market because of possible Cyclospora contamination. FDA lists confirmed product distribution in 28 states and cautions that the lettuce may have reached additional states.
The recall includes products distributed to restaurants, retailers, and other foodservice customers. It also includes the following Marketside products sold at select Walmart stores:
- Marketside Iceberg Salad, 12-ounce and 24-ounce bags, with Best If Used By dates from July 18 through August 3, 2026.
- Marketside Shredded Lettuce, 8-ounce and 16-ounce bags, with Best If Used By dates from July 18 through August 3, 2026.
Consumers should not eat recalled lettuce. See the complete FDA recall notice for additional foodservice products, lot codes, dates, and disposal instructions.
What is cyclospora, and why is it so hard to trace?
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite (Cyclospora cayetanensis) that causes an intestinal illness called cyclosporiasis. People get it by swallowing food or water that has been contaminated with human feces — often through produce irrigated or washed with tainted water. Unlike many foodborne germs, the parasite generally needs days to weeks outside the body before it can infect someone, which is why Cyclospora is rarely spread person-to-person and why outbreaks are notoriously difficult to trace back to a specific food. Pritzker Hageman’s food safety team explains the disease and the legal issues it raises in this overview of cyclosporiasis and cyclospora lawsuits.
Another complication: standard stool tests do not detect Cyclospora unless a doctor specifically orders testing for it. That means many cases go undiagnosed, and the real number of people sickened in this outbreak is almost certainly higher than the official count. The CDC keeps general guidance on the illness on its cyclosporiasis information page.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis
Symptoms usually begin about a week after exposure and can last for weeks — sometimes more than a month — often coming and going in waves. They include:
- Watery, sometimes explosive diarrhea
- Loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
- Stomach cramps, bloating, and increased gas
- Nausea and fatigue
- Low-grade fever, body aches, and other flu-like symptoms in some cases
Cyclosporiasis does not resolve with typical over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medicine, and it can relapse if it isn’t treated. The usual treatment is a course of the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (sold as Bactrim or Septra). If you have had watery diarrhea that keeps returning — especially after eating salads or fresh produce this summer — ask your doctor specifically about a cyclospora test.
How to protect yourself
- Follow public-health updates and any recalls or warnings from the CDC and FDA, and pay attention to guidance from your state health department.
- Know that rinsing produce reduces but does not reliably remove Cyclospora, so washing is not a guaranteed safeguard during an active outbreak.
- See a doctor if you have watery diarrhea lasting more than a few days, and specifically ask whether you should be tested for Cyclospora.
- If you are diagnosed, keep records — your test results, receipts, and a list of what and where you ate — which can be important if the source is later identified.
Do you have a Cyclospora case?
When an outbreak is tied to a specific food, grocery store, or restaurant, the people who were sickened may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other harm. Because cyclospora outbreaks so often trace back to a single contaminated product once investigators connect the dots, it is worth understanding your rights early — while evidence like receipts and medical records is still available.
The food safety attorneys at Pritzker Hageman have represented clients in nearly every major U.S. Cyclospora outbreak of the last decade. Their national Cyclospora legal team can explain, at no cost, whether you may have a claim, including whether you can sue a grocery store or restaurant for Cyclospora. This team has handled hundreds of Cyclospora cases, and you can follow their ongoing Cyclospora outbreak coverage and news for the latest developments.
This is a developing story, and the case counts above are expected to keep rising as more test results are confirmed. We will update this page as investigators learn more about the source.
