Michigan and Ohio recently updated their case counts in a massive Cyclosporacayetanensis outbreak, bringing state-reported totals for all 50 states to at least 21,775 cases. Michigan also reported two deaths tied to the outbreak.
By the same time last year, CDC had only reported 249 confirmed, domestically acquired Cyclospora infections across the entire U.S. States’ reports may include both probable and confirmed cases.
Between 1,600 and 5,000 people are sick in a five-state cyclosporiasis outbreak, according to CDC and Michigan officials. Iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms of Mexico to companies like Taco Bell and Walmart has been identified as the vehicle of infection. FDA has rescinded a previous positive product sample finding.
The outbreak cluster includes more than 1,600 people in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Outside of the outbreak cluster, Michigan and other parts of the U.S. continue to experience elevated rates of Cyclospora infections compared to previous years.
More than 400 cases in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia appear to be epidemiologically linked, although a food source has not been confirmed. Michigan alone reports more than 3,300 Cyclospora infections.
Cyclosporiasis is surging across the U.S., with CDC and state public health officials reporting a growing number of cases. Michigan alone has reported more than 1,200 Cyclospora infections since June, resulting in at least 44 hospitalizations.
A recent sampling assignment conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Pennsylvania and Michigan found milk in 6.2 percent of dark chocolate and chocolate-containing products labeled as “dairy-free,” although all positive samples were also labeled with an allergen advisory statement.
