The source of diarrhea-causing parasites in the U.S. remains completely unclear

Here's what it's all about

• A parasite is circulating in the U.S. that has already infected thousands of people and causes, among other things, explosive diarrhea.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mistakenly issued a warning against eating iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations.
• The FDA has apologized, according to Taylor Farms, the Taco Bell supplier that found itself thrust into the spotlight against its will.

Summary created with

At first, iceberg lettuce was suspected of causing thousands of cases of diarrhea in the U.S.: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now backtracking and no longer suspects the company that was initially in the spotlight of being responsible for the outbreak of the Cyclospora parasite. It therefore remains unclear who is responsible for the mass outbreak of illness.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the results had been re-examined due to the “complexity of detecting Cyclospora.” The re-examination revealed a “false positive result.” The original source of the parasite therefore remains unclear.

"As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive test results for Cyclospora," the FDA added. The agency has apologized, according to Taylor Farms, the company that was thrust into the spotlight against its will.

The FDA and CDC had their suspicions

Just last week, the FDA had expressed suspicion that finely chopped iceberg lettuce was the source of the parasite. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1,600 people who fell ill reported having eaten at Taco Bell locations in five U.S. states. “Do not eat finely chopped iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia,” the agency warned.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wrongly issued a warning about iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations.

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Investigations reportedly identified a single supplier in Mexico from which the fast-food chain had sourced the lettuce. As a result, the supplier, Taylor Farms, agreed to recall the affected products from the market.

Previously, the CDC had reported that cyclosporiasis infections had been confirmed in more than 1,600 people. As of midweek, another 5,100 cases were still under investigation. Since the disease often goes undiagnosed or unreported, the actual number is likely to be significantly higher. According to the latest reports, 94 people have been hospitalized, but no one has died from the disease so far.

Explosive bowel movements

According to the CDC, the parasite is generally not transmitted from person to person, but rather through food or water contaminated with feces. It infects the small intestine and causes watery diarrhea with frequent, sometimes severe, bowel movements. Outbreaks of cyclosporiasis usually occur in the summer.