Kansas Cyclosporiasis Cases Jump to 289 in 1 Week as Taylor Farms Lettuce Probe Widens
Updated
Updated · KCUR · Jul 23
Kansas Cyclosporiasis Cases Jump to 289 in 1 Week as Taylor Farms Lettuce Probe Widens
3 articles · Updated · KCUR · Jul 23
Summary
Kansas reported 289 cyclosporiasis cases on Wednesday, up from 55 a week earlier, with Johnson County accounting for 95 cases and Wyandotte County 11.
Health officials and clinicians say the true count is likely higher because some infections are mild or asymptomatic, while confirmation requires a stool sample.
Investigators suspect contaminated fresh produce—likely iceberg lettuce shipped by Taylor Farms to Taco Bell locations—is driving at least part of the outbreak; the parasite usually does not spread person to person.
More than 4,000 U.S. cases have been documented this year versus about 500 in a typical full year, with Missouri reporting 216 cases and Michigan also heavily affected.
Doctors say the illness is readily treatable with Bactrim, underscoring that the main challenge is identifying the contamination source and stopping further exposure.