Amid one of the nation\u2019s largest outbreaks in years of the parasitic infection cyclosporiasis, people have been sickened in 34 states, and the latest development involves Taco Bell.<\/p>\n
A surge in cases began in June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Its count of confirmed U.S. cases is 1,645 between May 1 and July 13, up from 843 as of July 9; on Tuesday, the agency said it \u201cis aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis to confirm the illness as domestically acquired cyclosporiasis.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Michigan, the hardest-hit state, public health officials said they had recorded more than 2,600 cases during the outbreak.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what to know about it.<\/p>\n
What is the disease?<\/p>\n
The parasite cyclospora causes a gastrointestinal ailment whose principal symptom is watery diarrhea \u201cwith frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,\u201d the CDC says. It is rarely life-threatening \u2014 no deaths have been tied to the current outbreak \u2014 and can be treated with antibiotics.<\/p>\n
It is most commonly spread by consumption of fruits or vegetables that are tainted by feces-contaminated irrigation water.<\/p>\n
Is it in California?<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s CDC update<\/a> said that of the 1,645 confirmed cases of people who acquired cyclosporiasis in the United States since May 1, \u201cone to 10\u201d of them were among Californians. The state\u2019s public health department said Tuesday that California is not currently experiencing an increase in cyclosporiasis and that none of its cases are known to be linked to outbreaks affecting other states.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the Taco Bell connection?<\/p>\n Last week some Taco Bells in the Detroit area stopped using certain produce ingredients \u2014\u00a0 lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo and guacamole \u2014 and on Tuesday the Washington Post reported<\/a> that federal and state health officials are examining the fast-food chain\u2019s possible role in the outbreak.<\/p>\n