Health officials in Michigan have identified lettuce or salad greens as a potential source of a recent cyclosporiasis outbreak. The illness, caused by the parasite cyclospora, typically spreads through contaminated food and water. While officials have not yet confirmed the exact origin or specified a grower, they highlight these greens as a likely culprit.
The state has reported 2,640 cases and 44 hospitalizations as of Monday evening. This marks a significant increase of 69 percent from those reported on Friday, making this the highest number of cases ever recorded in Michigan within a single year. Typically, the state sees only 40 to 50 cases annually.
Aside from Michigan, several other states, including New York, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, are experiencing higher-than-usual numbers of cyclospora cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms at least 843 cases across 31 states, with 86 hospitalizations. Health experts suggest these figures are likely underreported due to the time required for states to report and the CDC to confirm cases.
The New York Times has independently confirmed at least 4,800 cases this year. Since 2016, the CDC reports an average of about 2,800 cases nationwide annually. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, stated that this year may become the biggest year on record for cyclosporiasis in the United States.