Iowa Joins CDC’s List of States Impacted by Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Iowa has officially been added to the CDC's list of states impacted by the cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to lettuce. That brings the total number of states affected by this ongoing outbreak up to 15.
This week, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, New Hampshire, and North Carolina have now been added to the list of states where the foodborne illness has been confirmed. The outbreak has been traced to a Mexican lettuce producer, and has resulted in more than 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases and 12,255 suspected cases nationwide, per the CDC. However, the CDC's report lags weeks behind state reporting due to President Donald Trump's federal job cuts.
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What You Need to Know About Cyclosporiasis in Iowa:
As of July 30th, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services had identified 226 cyclosporiasis cases in 48 Iowa counties since the beginning of the year, up from a grand total of 69 cases total in 2025. The fact that it took the CDC this long to add Iowa to their list of states impacted by the outbreak shows how government institutions are behind schedule with significant staffing cuts.
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served as Taco Bell restaurants and sourced from Taylor Farms, a privately held company with operations in Central Mexico. In response, Taco Bell, Walmart, and Sysco all took action and removed potentially affected lettuce.
What is Cyclosporiasis?:
Cyclosporiasis infection has climbed to record levels in the United States this year. Common symptoms are:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
Humans are the only major host for the parasite, which can be shed in human feces and spread to fresh produce and irrigation water. Contamination can happen almost anywhere along the supply chain, such as at harvest, during cutting/processing, or even transport.
As of this writing, Michigan is the state impacted most significantly by this outbreak, with over 11,508 cases as of this week. Michigan also reported the first two deaths associated with the outbreak; however, both individuals had significant underlying health conditions.
Per The Des Moines Register, about 8% of lettuce sold in the United States is imported. Mexico accounted for about 88% of the lettuce imported in 2024; Canadian imports accounted for roughly 11%.
What You Can Do to Prevent Contracting Cyclosporiasis:
The Des Moines Register outlined some effective measures you can implement in order to avoid being sickened by cyclosporiasis:
- Rinse all fruit and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking them
- Wash produce even if it's labeled "pre-washed"
- Use a clean produce brush to scrub items like cucumbers and melons
- Trim away any bruised or damaged spots before preparing and eating.
- Cook produce to at least 158 degrees.
Read more about the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak on The Des Moines Register's website.