Two Michigan Residents Die Amid Large Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Monday that two individuals infected with cyclosporiasis have died. Both patients had pre-existing health conditions that may have been worsened by the parasite and resulting dehydration, the agency said.

Cyclospora, the parasite that causes the illness, can lead to severe diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause fluid loss. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, noted that while the infection is usually treated with the antibiotic Bactrim, many healthy individuals recover without medication.

State officials declined to release further details about the two cases. The department added that cyclosporiasis is generally not life-threatening and deaths are rare in the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration acknowledged awareness of the fatalities. A spokesperson said the patients’ symptom onset occurred before Taylor Farms de Mexico’s voluntary recall of lettuce on July 17, 2026, which had been linked to contaminated produce at Taco Bell.

The deaths occur during a widespread outbreak that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says has affected 45 states. Michigan alone has reported more than 11,000 confirmed cases and 193 hospitalizations since early May.