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There have now been 98 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis - the illness caused by the produce-associated and diarrhea-causing parasite - across the state of Texas.
Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Douglas Loveday sent the updated numbers over email to The Dallas Morning News late Monday afternoon.
The state's numbers have jumped since last week.
On July 13, the state had 68 lab-confirmed cases. One week before that, on July 6, the state had 48 confirmed cases.
The number of hospitalizations in Texas associated with cyclosporiasis has also grown in the last week. On Monday, there were 21 hospitalizations among the lab-confirmed cases, according to Loveday. That's up from the 15 hospitalizations reported as of last week.
Cyclospora, the diarrhea-causing parasite that can sometimes be found on produce, has made headlines nationwide as case numbers have skyrocketed in some parts of the country. The state of Michigan has reported more than 6,000 cases with more than 100 hospitalizations. The state of Ohio has reported nearly 1,200 cases.
Texas' case count, by comparison, is nowhere near as drastic.
As of last week, Loveday said in an email, the Texas case count was "considered only slightly higher than expected for this time of year, but it is not a drastic increase."
While the state's cyclosporiasis count is ahead of the count by this time in 2024 and 2025, it's still behind the count by this time of year in 2023. Loveday said the state had reported 114 cases by July 7, 2023. In comparison, nearly two weeks further into the year, the state still hasn't hit that number yet.
Where are the cases coming from?
Federal authorities announced on Saturday that a sample of lettuce from supplier Taylor Farms had been tested and confirmed to contain the parasite. Taylor Farms supplies lettuce to Taco Bell and some grocery stores.
The next day, on Sunday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration backtracked on that announcement, saying that the test was actually a false positive.
Despite that backtracked test result, the FDA said in a Monday social media post that shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms continues to be a prime suspect in the cyclospora investigation.
The FDA previously said that more than 1,600 people with cyclosporiasis reported eating at Taco Bell, which was using lettuce from Taylor Farms. The supplier has already issued a voluntary recall.
How can I protect myself from cyclospora?
Cyclospora can be found in produce and in water that has been contaminated. Most cases in the U.S. originate from produce.
Because of that, the FDA recommends safe food handling practices in order to prevent cyclosporiasis. That includes discarding outer layers of produce when possible and rinsing produce thoroughly - the FDA recommends against washing with soap. Whenever possible, the FDA recommends cooking produce to an internal temperature of at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the parasite is resistant to chemicals and washing, it cannot survive at high temperatures. In addition, the FDA recommends regular washing of hands and of food prep surfaces.
Finally, the FDA continues to encourage people not to eat recalled foods, including the recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.
Is there more you want to know about the parasite? Send us your questions here.
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