EVERETT—The Snohomish County Health Department reports four cases of cyclosporiasis, the disease caused by the Cyclospora parasite, so far this year. The first case occurred in late March and the most recent was reported in the second week of July.
“This is not an unusual number of cases for a year,” says Snohomish County Health Officer Dr. James Lewis.
One of the cases is linked to a small regional outbreak not believed to be related to the national outbreak. Another involved a person who traveled to the epicenter of the outbreak and experienced symptoms upon return.
“Overall, the risk to Snohomish County residents is low,” Dr. Lewis says. “There are no locally acquired cases associated with the national outbreak and there is no current indication that there is a contaminated product in Washington state.”
The Washington State Department of Health has reported 27 cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1.
“There’s likely no need to avoid produce locally at this time,” Dr. Lewis says. “But if people want to be extra safe, they could avoid shredded lettuce at impacted vendors (Taco Bell for now).”
An outbreak of Cyclospora infections has been linked to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in several states, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced July 16. There have been no deaths.
Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, a total of 1,644 people infected with Cyclospora and reporting exposure to Taco Bell have been reported Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 13, 2026, to July 13, 2026. There have been 94 hospitalizations, and no deaths have been reported. Michigan analyzed food exposure details from 190 of the cases who reported eating at Taco Bell and shared these findings with CDC. Ingredient level analyses on meals eaten by these cases indicate that 90% of those interviewed reported eating iceberg lettuce.
On July 17, 2026, Taylor Farms de Mexico announced that they were voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. On July 17, Taylor Farms initiated a recall, which includes Marketside-brand product available at Walmart described as “Iceberg Salad 12-oz or 24-oz” and “Shredded Lettuce 8-oz or 16-oz” with Best if Used By dates of 7/18/2026 to 8/3/2026 and July 18th to Aug 3rd 2026, respectively. For a complete list of products recalled, click here.
On July 19, the FDA announced that the sample of lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico which was reported positive on July 18, 2026, did not test positive for the parasite.
“Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive,” the FDA wrote. “FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market. FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples. As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.”
Taylor Farms released a statement notifying the public of the FDA’s false positive on its lettuce products and that the “FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora.”
Taco Bell has indicated they are no longer using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico as of July 17, 2026.
Symptoms of Cyclospora Infection
Most people infected with Cyclospora develop diarrhea, with frequent bowel movements. Other common symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Vomiting, body aches, headache, and fever may be noted. Some people who are infected with Cyclospora do not have any symptoms.
If not treated, the illness can lead to dehydration and severe complications that may require higher levels of care. These complications may last from a few days to a month or longer. Symptoms may seem to go away and then return one or more times (relapse).
Immunocompromised persons may experience more severe illness of longer duration along with complications requiring close medical attention.
The Snohomish County Health Department continues to monitor the outbreak. Additional communications and guidance will be issued if the situation changes locally.
For more information:
- CDC’s webpage on the cyclosporiasis outbreak.
- Washington Department of Health’s food safety page.
- Public Health – Seattle & King County’s blog post.
Author: Mario Lotmore
