FDA says it identified new cyclospora outbreak linked to unspecified product

Key Points:

• Federal health officials have announced a new cyclospora outbreak linked to an unspecified product, with the source still under investigation by the FDA through a traceback process.
• This outbreak is one of several ongoing cyclospora investigations, including a major one involving iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, which led to a voluntary recall of the lettuce sourced from central Mexico.
• Cyclospora is a parasite causing cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness characterized by severe diarrhea; it is resistant to washing but can be killed by cooking.
• The CDC has confirmed 1,645 cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1, with 141 hospitalizations, but state reports, such as Michigan's 7,664 confirmed cases, suggest the actual number of infections is significantly higher.
• Health officials emphasize that cyclosporiasis is often underdiagnosed and underreported, indicating the true scale of the outbreak may be larger than current figures show.