Record US cyclosporiasis outbreak declared over by CDC

The largest recorded outbreak of cyclosporiasis in the United States has officially ended, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday. The outbreak, linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico in central Mexico, sickened 12,883 people across 21 states, resulting in 570 hospitalizations and two deaths Source: Al Jazeera, The Guardian. The CDC stated that all recalled lettuce has been removed from the market and that the risk of infection from this source has passed Source: The Guardian.

The Outbreak

At its peak, more than 1,000 infections were reported in a single day. By August, daily cases had fallen to fewer than two Source: Al Jazeera, The Guardian. Michigan was the hardest-hit state, accounting for the two deaths and over 14,000 cases Source: The Guardian. The median age of those infected was 46, with women comprising 56% of cases Source: The Guardian. The outbreak was part of a broader surge: since May 1, nearly 20,000 laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases have been reported nationwide, more than 16 times the number during the same period last year Source: Al Jazeera.

Investigation and Response

The FDA's investigation into Taylor Farms de Mexico continues, with on-site inspections and sample collection completed but laboratory analysis still pending Source: Al Jazeera, The Guardian. The outbreak has renewed scrutiny of US food-safety controls. The FDA inspected the implicated Mexican farm only about a month after the investigation began, and inspections of foreign food facilities have declined substantially in recent years Source: Al Jazeera. The Trump administration has also scaled back FoodNet, stopping mandatory tracking of Cyclospora and five other pathogens, while a Food Safety Modernization Act rule to improve traceability of high-risk foods has been delayed until 2028 Source: Al Jazeera. The FDA has urged the supply chain to rigorously implement prevention and mitigation practices Source: The Guardian.