Cyclospora outbreak linked to Mexican iceberg lettuce spreads to four additional states

The cyclospora outbreak associated with shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico has been confirmed in four new states, bringing the total number of affected states to nine, U.S. health officials said. The newly identified states are Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania; earlier cases were reported in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhea that may require hospitalization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has verified more than 4,000 cases nationwide, while state health departments have recorded higher counts, with Michigan reporting 7,664 cases.

Taylor Farms, the grower of the implicated lettuce, voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce harvested in central Mexico. The company supplies major retailers and restaurant chains.

The Food and Drug Administration is also investigating a separate outbreak linked to an unspecified product.

"The outbreak was first reported by the Washington Post," a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said.

Public health officials note that symptoms can appear weeks after exposure, complicating tracing efforts.