CDC COUNTS 20,996 US CYCLOSPORIASIS CASES THIS SEASON
The CDC has now received reports of 20,996 laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases acquired in the United States with symptom onset during the 2026 season, which runs May 1 through August 31. The total includes a huge multistate outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce, plus cases that had nothing to do with it.
For comparison, the CDC reported 1,180 cases for the same stretch in 2025. The agency said multiple jurisdictions have reported increases over last year.
The numbers are current through October 19, 2026, and the CDC updated its page on October 23. It said it no longer updates the page weekly because infections have “significantly declined,” though earlier-season cases may keep trickling in because of the unprecedented volume. It also takes about six weeks from the start of symptoms for a case to reach the agency.
Another 13,002 laboratory-confirmed cases still need investigation to determine whether people caught the parasite in the U.S. or while traveling. The CDC also warned that “the true number of people sick with cyclosporiasis is likely higher than the number reported,” since some people recover without medical care and never get tested.
The count has climbed steadily. Fox News reported on July 2, 2026 that the CDC had confirmed 145 cases across 17 states by mid-June. By September 15, the CDC had logged 19,883.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite. It can cause watery diarrhea that lasts weeks or months if untreated, along with cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and weight loss. The CDC advises anyone with symptoms to contact a healthcare provider for testing and treatment.
The lettuce outbreak and what the FDA found in Mexico
The CDC declared the lettuce-linked outbreak over on September 11, 2026. “At this time, there is no risk of people getting sick with cyclosporiasis from this source,” the agency said.
Food Safety Magazine reported that outbreak ended with 12,883 illnesses across 21 states and two deaths. The lettuce was sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico, according to the FDA. The company is also at the center of a lawsuit filed by an Ohio man who was hospitalized with explosive diarrhea.
The FDA closed its investigation on October 2, 2026 and released final sample results from inspections in Mexico. According to its outbreak investigation page, its traceback identified several farms and a processing facility in Mexico that supplied the recalled lettuce distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods.
Two environmental samples tested positive for Cyclospora. One came from a tank holding outgoing wastewater at the Taylor Farms de Mexico processing facility. The other came from a drainage ditch at an iceberg lettuce grower.
Mexico’s food-safety authority, Cofepris, pushed back, according to Just Food. It said environmental findings alone did not prove agricultural products were the source of contamination.
The FDA updated its post-outbreak page on October 28, 2026. It said it does not have enough evidence to conclusively determine how contamination occurred, but that the positive samples showed Cyclospora was present where the lettuce was grown and processed. “This adds to the strong epidemiological data and traceback convergence supporting the link between this outbreak and recalled shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico,” the agency said.
