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The FDA identified Taylor Farms lettuce as the source of the Cyclospora outbreak, linking the parasite to a contaminated food product.
Joan Rose, a professor of water research at Michigan State University, said the nationwide cyclospora outbreak is very likely a result of sewage contamination in the food supply. Rose, who collects and tests sewage for harmful pathogens, published the analysis on Aug. 10. The outbreak has sickened more than 22,000 people and contributed to two deaths in Michigan.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that a cyclosporiasis outbreak has expanded to 15 states, with at least 6,358 cases linked to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce. Six states were newly included in the outbreak, which officials connected to lettuce sourced by Taylor Farms in central Mexico.
The Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that a sample of iceberg lettuce from supplier Taylor Farms tested positive for the Cyclospora parasite, providing the first direct link to a food source in an outbreak that has sickened thousands across the United States, the agency said Sunday.