08/06/2026
Cyclospora is now a popular word. There is a parasite making its way through the food supply right now, it has already sickened an estimated 18,000 Americans this summer, and there is a good chance you have not heard about it yet.
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a microscopic parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. It has been linked this summer to shredded iceberg lettuce, including lettuce served at Taco Bell locations across multiple states, and to a voluntary recall of Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. The CDC has confirmed cases in 45 states. Two people have died. Georgia is on the FDA's confirmed distribution list for the recalled product. This is happening right now, and knowing what to look for could make a real difference.
What it is and how you get it
Cyclospora is a parasite found in contaminated food and water, particularly fresh produce that has come into contact with f***l matter during growing, harvesting, or processing. It is not transmitted from person to person, so you cannot catch it from someone who has it. You can only get it from consuming something contaminated. The produce most commonly linked to past outbreaks includes bagged salad mixes, leafy greens, fresh basil, fresh cilantro, raspberries, snow peas, and green onions. This summer's outbreak has been centered on shredded iceberg lettuce, but investigators are tracking at least six separate outbreak clusters simultaneously, which means the source list may be wider than what has been confirmed so far. The parasite is not killed by standard washing. Cooking does kill it, which is worth knowing when you're deciding how to handle fresh produce right now.
What the symptoms look like and why people miss it
This is where cyclosporiasis gets genuinely tricky. Symptoms typically begin one to two weeks after exposure, which means most people have no idea what they ate that caused it. The illness presents as watery diarrhea, sometimes described in the medical literature as explosive, along with nausea, stomach cramping, bloating, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Some people run a low-grade fever. The symptoms tend to come and go, which leads many people to dismiss it as a stomach bug or IBS flare rather than a parasitic infection that requires a specific antibiotic to clear. Standard treatments for bacterial infections do not work on Cyclospora. The only effective treatment is trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, a specific antibiotic that requires a prescription and a confirmed diagnosis. Left untreated, the infection can last weeks to months. Nine percent of confirmed cases this summer have required hospitalization.
What to do right now
If you have eaten at a Taco Bell in the last six weeks, or consumed bagged iceberg lettuce, shredded lettuce, or any of the produce categories linked to past outbreaks, and you have experienced any of the symptoms above, do not wait it out. Get tested. A stool sample analyzed specifically for Cyclospora is required for diagnosis, and it is not part of a standard stool panel, so you need to ask for it by name. Tell your provider you are concerned about cyclosporiasis given the current outbreak. If you are immunocompromised, elderly, or managing a chronic health condition, the urgency is higher. Until the source is fully contained, the CDC recommends avoiding recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce products, washing all produce thoroughly even if it won't eliminate the risk entirely, and cooking produce where possible when dealing with anything in the high-risk category.
Rasa Teytel, FNP-C at MyCare Clinic is available to evaluate and test patients with gastrointestinal symptoms consistent with cyclosporiasis. If you are concerned about potential exposure, do not wait for symptoms to resolve on their own. Come in, get tested, and get treated if needed. Appointments preferred, walk-ins always welcome!
Visit www.mycareclinicatlanta.com
MyCare Clinic Pro Tip: If you have had persistent or recurring stomach symptoms this summer that haven't fully resolved, it is worth asking specifically about Cyclospora testing. Standard stool panels often miss it. The infection is treatable, but only once it's correctly identified.
Have you or anyone you know been affected? Share this post so your community knows what to watch for. This one is worth passing along.
MyCare Clinic - Rasa Teytel, FNP-C
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