United States: The giant epidemic of intestinal infections comes from lettuce served in fast food restaurants

US health authorities attribute the cyclosporiasis outbreak, which has sickened 1,644 people and hospitalized 94, to lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants.

This is no joke. US health authorities announced Friday that they have identified the source of the cyclosporiasis outbreak affecting several US states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attributes the infections to lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants.

The investigation conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that the parasite originated from a Mexican lettuce supplier. The affected products were used in Taco Bell restaurants located in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Nearly one hundred hospitalizations

According to the CDC, 1,644 people have contracted this intestinal infection, which causes, among other things, "explosive diarrhea." A total of 94 hospitalizations have been recorded, and the agency specifies that all the cases in its tally are linked to contaminated lettuce sold by the restaurant chain.

In response, Taco Bell stated that "the affected ingredient from our supplier is being removed indefinitely from our nationwide supply chain and will be replaced within 24 hours in certain states."

An infection that can last a month

"We believe that public health is a shared responsibility of restaurants, their suppliers and the authorities, and we are proud to have always acted quickly and proactively to protect our customers," the company added.

The CDC notes that cyclosporiasis can last more than a month without treatment and lead to dehydration, although it is not usually fatal. The FDA, for its part, points out that state-reported figures may differ from national data, as they often include both probable and confirmed cases.