CINCINNATI — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is sending disease investigators to Ohio to provide support to the Ohio Department of Health in tracing cyclosporiasis cases as Ohio continues to be among the hardest-hit states for the gastrointestinal illness.
“CDC, at the request of the Ohio Department of Health, is deploying a number of its disease detectives to the state to assist with the cyclosporiasis investigation there. The team is expected to be in Ohio for 3 weeks,” a statement from the CDC reads.
Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by Cyclospora, which is a microscopic parasite that infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. When ingested, the parasite causes intestinal illness marked by “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC.
The most recent number of cases in Ohio is 2,574, according to the Ohio Department of Health, with more than 90% of those cases being reported after June 20.
Hamilton County has reported 17 cases, Clermont County has two, Warren County has five, Butler County has eight and Highland County has one case, according to ODH. Montgomery County, where Dayton is, has 27 cases.
“Deployed CDC staff will conduct interviews of persons who tested positive for Cyclospora to assess symptoms and collect exposure histories, analyze interview data to identify common exposure locations and foods, identify case clusters, and coordinate with federal response teams on multi-state outbreak tracing efforts,” the CDC stated.
The request was made through the CDC’s Epi-Aid program.
Epi-Aid allows rapid response by CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service officers in investigating urgent public health problems, such as infectious and non-communicable disease outbreaks, unexplained illnesses, or natural or manmade disasters, according to the CDC.
The focus of an Epi-Aid investigation is to assist partners in making decisions to prevent and control the public health problem, according to the CDC.
Federal health officials remain focused on lettuce from Taylor Farms, an iceberg lettuce supplier used by some Taco Bell locations, as the source of a multistate outbreak of a diarrhea-causing parasite, despite inaccurate test results, according to the Associated Press. Food and Drug Administration officials said a laboratory test incorrectly identified a positive result for Cyclospora on a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms.
“When questions were raised about the source of the recent Cyclospora outbreak, we immediately removed all potentially implicated product from the marketplace, and out of an abundance of caution we issued an even broader recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region,” a July 24 statement from Taylor Farms reads.
Taylor Farms also suspended all iceberg lettuce sourcing and production from central Mexico.
“Additionally, we’ve commissioned independent experts to conduct a top-to-bottom review of food safety processes and protocols in our central Mexico facility, where as of July 18, 2026 we have temporarily suspended production of all products, not just iceberg lettuce. We continue to work with health authorities, customers, and independent farming partners to address this issue,” Taylor Farms stated.
The CDC is also investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to this outbreak, the agency announced.
The CDC says it is important to wash produce before consuming it, and to wash your hands before eating. Washing does not kill the parasite, but cooking to temperatures of at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit will kill it.
