A large multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis that has been tied to lettuce sold at restaurants such as Taco Bell and some grocery stores now accounts for cases across 15 states, according to federal health officials.
Six states – Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina – were added to the outbreak after lab testing by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that illnesses there were probably caused by the same strain of the tiny cyclospora parasite, which burrows into the lining of the small intestine and can cause weeks of explosive diarrhea if left untreated.
Among the more than 6,000 cases the CDC has tallied in the outbreak, nearly 300 have been hospitalized, and two people have died.
The update is confirmation of how widespread the outbreak already was, experts said, rather than a sign that its footprint is expanding.
“We are just counting people who were already sick. Now comes the linking to Taylor Farms or other products,” said Bill Marler, a Seattle-based attorney and food safety advocate.
