A man from Chicago who was hospitalized due to cyclosporiasis has identified the Taco Bell menu item he believes caused his “explosive diarrhea.”
Event Context
The Cyclospora outbreak, a microscopic parasite responsible for this illness, has resulted in nearly 1,700 confirmed cases, along with an additional 5,100 reports. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that cases have been detected in 34 states.
Team Analysis
Alonso Zaragoza, a 46-year-old resident of Belmont Cragin, informed NBC Chicago that he began experiencing symptoms over the weekend of July 11 and 12. As his condition deteriorated, he reported visiting the restroom every hour and a half.
“I don’t think I slept more than an hour and a half continuously in the last week,” he stated. He saw blood in his stool by Wednesday.
Zaragoza made the decision to visit the emergency room, where he received an IV drip and underwent tests for both stool and blood samples.
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Zaragoza also stated that he has since been discharged from the emergency room.
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After medics at Northwestern Hospital confirmed his infection with Cyclospora, Zaragoza began to reflect on the possible source of the so-called “explosive diarrhea” parasite.
The CDC has confirmed that the outbreak is associated with shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Speaking to NBC Chicago, Zaragoza said, “I looked through everything, there was nothing that I ate that contained lettuce except for chalupa from the luxe box at Taco Bell. I looked at the app, I Googled the ingredients—it said iceberg lettuce.”
The Food and Drug Administration initiated a traceback investigation that identified a specific iceberg lettuce supplier in Mexico, which was utilized by Taco Bell outlets where people fell ill.
The CDC has advised patrons to refrain from consuming shredded iceberg lettuce provided at Taco Bell establishments in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
On July 17, Taylor Farms confirmed the removal of all iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico from the U.S. market because of a potential Cyclospora contamination. Two days later, the company published another statement showing that a positive test result in its products was actually a false positive.
