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A multistate Cyclospora outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell has sickened more than 1,600 people across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia as of mid-July 2026. The supplier — Taylor Farms de Mexico — has recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, an
On July 16, 2026, the CDC issued a warning urging people not to eat shredded lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in five states — Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia — after linking more than 1,600 cases of diarrhea to the Cyclospora parasite. The FDA's traceback investigation identified a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, as the source of the contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce served at affected Taco Bell locations. If you ate at one of those locations and have been struggling with a stubborn stomach illness, you may be dealing with cyclosporiasis — and it requires a specific antibiotic to clear.
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a microscopic parasite that infects the small intestine and commonly causes watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and fatigue. It spreads through contaminated food or water — not person to person.
An infected person sheds oocysts (the parasite's egg-like stage) in their stool. These oocysts must mature in the environment for one to two weeks before they can infect another person, which is why direct human-to-human transmission is rare.
Fresh produce has repeatedly been the culprit in U.S. outbreaks. Taylor Farms produce has also been linked with previous illness outbreaks, including E. coli cases tied to slivered onions in 2024 and Cyclospora cases linked with lettuce in 2013.
The scale of the 2026 outbreak is striking. Since May 1, 2026, the CDC has received reports of 4,173 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and is aware of more than 7,400 additional cases that are not yet laboratory confirmed and require further investigation and analysis.
More than 1,644 sick people in this multistate Cyclospora outbreak reported eating at Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, starting May 13. There have been 94 hospitalizations and no deaths reported.
In Michigan, health officials analyzed 190 Cyclospora cases and found that 90% of people who became ill reported eating iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell. That epidemiological signal was strong enough for the CDC to act.
[REVIEWER: add clinical insight here — e.g., what clinicians are seeing in presentation of this outbreak's cases, or how cyclosporiasis compares to other summer GI illnesses you treat.]
On July 17, 2026, Taylor Farms de Mexico announced a voluntary removal of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. Taylor Fresh Foods' recall notice included Marketside-brand product available at Walmart: 12-oz and 24-oz Iceberg Salad with Best if Used By dates of July 18–August 3, 2026, and 8-oz and 16-oz Shredded Lettuce with the same date range.
Taco Bell stated that, out of an abundance of caution, it has worked swiftly to voluntarily remove the product from restaurants, and that the affected ingredient has been removed from its supply chain nationwide.
The CDC advises: do not eat any recalled lettuce — throw it away or return it to where you bought it, and wash any items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled lettuce using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
This is not a typical two-day stomach bug. Symptoms typically begin about one week after exposure, though onset can occur anywhere from two to fourteen days after infection. The most common symptoms include watery diarrhea — which can be frequent — along with loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, nausea, and fatigue. Less common symptoms include low-grade fever and vomiting.
Without treatment, symptoms can follow a remitting-relapsing course that can last from a few days to a month or longer. People often feel like they're recovering, only for the diarrhea to return days later. That cyclical pattern is a hallmark of cyclosporiasis and one of the key ways it differs from a viral stomach bug.
In people with immune system dysfunction — such as those undergoing immunosuppressive treatment or organ transplant recipients — cyclosporiasis can cause severe, prolonged, or chronic watery diarrhea along with nausea, abdominal pain, mild fever, lethargy, and significant weight loss.
This is a detail that catches many patients off guard. Because testing for Cyclospora is not routinely conducted in most U.S. laboratories, healthcare providers may have to specifically request testing for it.
It is important that your provider specifically requests testing for Cyclospora, since it is not included in routine stool tests. If you've had prolonged or relapsing diarrhea since May 2026 and ate shredded iceberg lettuce at a Taco Bell in the affected states, tell your doctor explicitly — and ask them to order Cyclospora-specific testing.
[REVIEWER: add clinical insight here — e.g., what the testing process looks like in practice, turnaround times, or how this presentation differs from what a standard stool panel would catch.]
The good news: there is an effective treatment. The recommended treatment for cyclosporiasis is the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), which is the treatment of choice. It is sold under brand names including Bactrim, Septra, and Cotrim.
Most people will have a self-limited illness, but it can last for days to weeks. There is no vaccine to prevent cyclosporiasis.
For people who are allergic to or intolerant of TMP-SMX, no highly effective alternatives have been identified. Options to consider include observation and symptomatic treatment, or use of an antibiotic with limited supporting data. If you have a sulfa allergy, discuss your options with your doctor before starting any treatment
Contact a clinician if watery diarrhea has lasted more than a few days, keeps returning after seeming to improve, or comes with significant weight loss or fatigue — and specifically mention the outbreak.
Seek urgent in-person care for any of the following: signs of severe dehydration (dizziness, very little urine, rapid heartbeat), high fever, bloody stools, or an inability to keep fluids down.
Do not eat shredded iceberg lettuce at any Taco Bell location until further notice from the CDC.
Check your refrigerator for recalled Marketside Iceberg Salad or Shredded Lettuce with Best if Used By dates of July 18–August 3, 2026.
To help reduce the risk, public health experts advise buying whole heads of lettuce instead of bagged or prewashed varieties, discarding the outer leaves, and thoroughly washing the inner leaves.
Wash hands with soap and water before preparing any food.
If you're unsure whether a restaurant's lettuce is from the recalled supply, ask.
What states are affected by the Taco Bell Cyclospora outbreak?
The FDA and CDC are investigating a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses linked to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. However, the broader Cyclospora surge in 2026 has affected people in dozens of states. Ronsimonassociates
What are the symptoms of Cyclospora infection?
The most common symptoms include frequent watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, nausea, and fatigue, typically starting one to two weeks after exposure. Symptoms can relapse and recur for a month or more without treatment.
Can Cyclospora spread from person to person?
Direct person-to-person transmission is rare because the oocysts shed by an infected person must mature in the environment for one to two weeks before becoming infectious. Most infections come from contaminated food or water.
How is Cyclospora treated?
The recommended treatment is a prescription antibiotic called trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Because Cyclospora is not caught on routine stool tests, you must ask your provider to order specific testing. Consult your doctor before starting any medication.
Is the recalled lettuce only at Taco Bell?
The recall includes iceberg lettuce sold at retail stores and restaurants. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers who purchased or received recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico or distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods should discard it immediately. Check the full recall notice for specific lot codes and use-by dates.
Takeaway: If you ate shredded iceberg lettuce at a Taco Bell in the five affected states since May, watch for persistent watery diarrhea — especially the kind that improves and comes back. Don't assume it's a regular stomach bug. Ask your doctor specifically for Cyclospora testing, because it won't show up on a standard panel. Check your fridge for recalled Taylor Farms or Marketside lettuce products and discard them immediately.
Sources:
CDC: Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Iceberg Lettuce in 5 States (July 2026) —
CDC: Domestically Acquired Cyclosporiasis Cases in Multiple U.S. States, 2026 (Health Alert Network) —
CDC: Clinical Overview of Cyclosporiasis —
FDA: Investigation of 5-State Outbreak of Cyclospora Illnesses: Iceberg Lettuce (July 2026) —
American Medical Association: Cyclospora information page —
NIH/NCBI: "Advances in Cyclosporiasis Diagnosis and Therapeutic Intervention" —
Category: Food Safety / Infectious Disease
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