The outbreak of Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite<\/a> that causes the condition, has led to nearly 1,700 confirmed diagnoses, with an additional 5,100 reports. Cases have been identified in 34 states, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> have confirmed<\/a>. \u200b<\/p>\n Alonso Zaragoza, a 46-year-old from Belmont Cragin, told NBC Chicago<\/a> that he developed symptoms over the weekend spanning July 11 and 12. As his symptoms worsened, he said that he was visiting the washroom every hour and a half. \u200b<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think I slept more than an hour and a half continuously in the last week,\u201d he said. \u200bHowever, by Wednesday, he had noticed blood in his stool. <\/p>\n Zaragoza decided to head to the emergency room<\/a>, where he was given an IV drip and both stool and blood samples were taken from him. \u200b<\/p>\n In a Facebook<\/a> post, Zaragoza confirmed that he had suffered \u201c4 days no sleep, chills, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, 5 pounds lost, and a midnight trip to the Emergency Room.\u201d<\/p>\n Zaragoza also confirmed that he has since left the emergency room.<\/p>\n When medics at Northwestern Hospital confirmed that he had been infected with Cyclospora<\/a>, Zaragoza began to consider what may have given him the so-called \u201cexplosive diarrhea\u201d parasite. \u200b<\/p>\n The CDC<\/a> confirmed<\/a> that the outbreak has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce<\/a> served at Taco Bell<\/a> locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. <\/p>\n \u200b\u201cI looked through everything, there was nothing that I ate that contained lettuce except for chalupa from the luxe box at Taco Bell,\u201d Zaragoza told NBC Chicago. \u201cI looked at the app, I Googled the ingredients\u2014it said iceberg lettuce.\u201d\u200b<\/p>\n The Food and Drug Administration launched a traceback investigation that led them to a single iceberg lettuce supplier<\/a> in Mexico used by Taco Bell locations <\/a>where sick people ate. \u200bThe CDC has warned diners not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. \u200b<\/p>\n On July 17, Taylor Farms confirmed<\/a> that it was removing all iceberg lettuce <\/a>sourced from Mexico from the U.S. market due to a potential Cyclospora contamination. Two days later, the company released another statement stating that a positive test result in its products was a false positive.\u200b<\/p>\n![\"Alonso](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-09-35-12.png\")
Alonso Zaragoza, a 46-year-old from Chicago, says that he believes he fell ill with the \u2018explosive diarrhea\u2019 parasite after eating at Taco Bell (Alonso Zaragoza)<\/p>\n![\"Zaragoza](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2286086773.jpeg\")
Zaragoza says that he ate the \u2018luxe box\u2019 which contained shredded lettuce at Taco Bell (Getty)<\/p>\n
![\"Cyclosporiasis,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/7828_lores.jpeg\")
Cyclosporiasis, a condition caused by Cyclospora (pictured), can lead to watery diarrhea and loss of appetite (CDC)<\/p>\n