Hamilton County has recorded 24 confirmed cases of Cyclospora infection as of Friday, WLWT reported, as part of a nine-state outbreak linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deployed a response team to Ohio the same day to assist the Ohio Department of Health with the investigation. Ohio has reported more than 2,500 cases statewide, according to WLWT. That figure may include suspected cases not yet confirmed by laboratory testing.
"Because it can take a little while between when someone eats a contaminated item and when they get sick and when they're actually reported as a case. Sometimes that can be as long as six weeks," Gwen Biggerstaff, deputy director of the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, told WLWT on Friday.
The CDC team will conduct case interviews and manage data alongside state health officials, Biggerstaff said.
What residents should know
The outbreak has been traced to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, sourced from central Mexico. The product was distributed June 29 through July 16 in 27 states, including Ohio, and was served at Taco Bell restaurants in the affected states.
Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall on July 18. The CDC advises: do not eat recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. If you purchased it, throw it out or return it for a full refund.
Two Walmart retail products are included in the recall:
- Marketside Iceberg Salad (12-oz or 24-oz) with "Best if Used By" dates between July 18 and Aug. 3, 2026
- Marketside Shredded Lettuce (8-oz or 16-oz) with "Best if Used By" dates between July 18 and Aug. 3, 2026
Taco Bell confirmed it has removed all affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants and supply chain.
The scope
Nationally, the CDC reported 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis between May 1 and July 20, with more than 7,400 additional suspected cases not yet lab-confirmed, according to USA Today. There have been 308 hospitalizations and no deaths. For comparison, only 249 cases were reported in all of 2025, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The nine states in the outbreak are Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Among those, 1,947 confirmed cases involved people who reported eating at Taco Bell, according to CNBC.
Symptoms and treatment
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite spread through food contaminated with human feces, typically when produce is irrigated or washed with tainted water. It does not spread easily from person to person.
Symptoms appear two to 14 days after exposure and include frequent watery diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, bloating, loss of appetite, body aches and low-grade fever. Illness can last weeks or longer than a month. Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems face higher risk of severe illness.
Treatment requires a prescription antibiotic, typically trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (sold as Bactrim or Septra). Residents experiencing symptoms should contact their doctor.
What to do
Residents unsure whether a local restaurant sources its iceberg lettuce from the recalled supplier should ask the establishment directly, per CDC guidance. The full recall list, lot codes, and use-by dates are available at taylorfarms.com/recall and on the FDA website.
Taylor Farms customer care: 855-455-0098, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
