Lettuce from Mexico at Taco Bell linked as outbreak source
State health officials announced Monday that two people have died in Michigan’s cyclospora outbreak, the first confirmed deaths in the United States related to the microscopic parasite.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said both people who died had underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by the intestinal illness and dehydration. The department said it will not provide additional information about the deaths.
Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations across five U.S. states as a source of the widespread outbreak.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. When ingested, it causes intestinal illness marked by “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.