Alabama Reports 28 Cyclospora Cases as 22 Cluster in Northern District
Updated
Updated · WSFA · Jul 20
Alabama Reports 28 Cyclospora Cases as 22 Cluster in Northern District
3 articles · Updated · WSFA · Jul 20
Summary
Alabama health officials confirmed 28 cyclosporiasis cases as of July 20, with 22 cases — 78.6% — concentrated in the Northern District.
Two patients have been hospitalized and no deaths were reported; four cases were tied to international travel and eight were linked to two foodborne outbreaks at Mexican-style restaurants.
Federal investigators have linked the wider U.S. outbreak to certain lots of shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five states, but Alabama said none of its cases are directly tied to those restaurants.
The FDA said a previously reported Cyclospora positive from Taylor Farms de Mexico was a false positive, even as Taylor Farms de Mexico and Taylor Fresh Foods voluntarily remove central Mexico-sourced iceberg lettuce from the U.S. market.
Cyclospora is a parasite often spread through contaminated fresh produce, and Alabama urged people with watery diarrhea or related symptoms to seek care and specifically request Cyclospora testing.