More than 200 people in the midwestern U.S. have been diagnosed with cyclosporiasis after eating packaged salads sold in grocery stores. Illinois is one of the states that has been most affected by the cyclospora outbreak, with at least 57 people having been diagnosed from May 11 to June 17. The contamination has been traced to Fresh Express salad packages that contain iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and carrots. The product goes by different names depending on where the product is sold, including:

• ALDI Little Salad Bar Garden Salads
• Hy-Vee Garden Salad
• Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Garden Salad
• Walmart Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is still investigating whether there are additional contaminated Fresh Express salad packages that are sold under other names.

Dangers of Cyclosporiasis

At least 23 of the people recently diagnosed with cyclosporiasis have been hospitalized because of the severity of their symptoms. Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by consuming food or drink that contains the cyclospora parasite. Cyclospora is most commonly found in produce that is grown in tropical climates, where the parasite is most prevalent and can spread from the feces of humans and animals who have it.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that there were 580 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in the U.S. between May 1 and July 23, 2019. The cases occurred in 30 states and the District of Columbia and have been traced to food served in restaurants and prepared at home. Fresh basil imported from Mexico seems to be the largest source of the outbreak, being connected to 132 infections. In total, at least 38 people have been hospitalized, with no reported deaths. The U.S. commonly experiences an increase in cyclospora outbreaks during the summer months, as opposed to the rest of the year.

Source

Cyclospora is a parasite spread through feces that contaminates food or water. The parasite is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. Travelers to these areas are at greater risk of infection if they consume raw local foods or tap water. Domestic outbreaks in the U.S. can come from fresh produce imported from these tropical areas, including but not limited to:

• Lettuce;
• Basil;
• Raspberries; and
• Snow peas.

Domestic consumers can best protect themselves from infection by thoroughly washing produce, though this is not guaranteed to remove the parasite.

As of late July 2018, 286 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclospora infection from victims in 15 states have been linked to a cyclospora outbreak connected to McDonald's salads. Although no deaths have been reported in conjunction with this outbreak, at least 11 people have been hospitalized.

Cyclospora is a parasite that causes infections in human hosts. When an individual becomes ill after consuming food or a beverage contaminated with cyclospora and the consumption could have been prevented if another party had taken greater care to prevent it, the victim may be entitled to recover monetary compensation for his or her damages through a food poisoning claim.

How Cyclospora is Spread