The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and dozens of states are investigating a surge in cases of cyclosporiasis intestinal illness. Michigan, the hardest-hit state, has now reported two deaths and more than 11,000 cases as it searches for links beyond the initial cases tied to lettuce. The outbreak, one of the largest U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreaks in recent years, has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Yum Brands’ Taco Bell restaurants in nine states. Investigations are continuing into other sources. Here is what we know of the intestinal illness and the outbreak so far: What is it? Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection that can be contracted by consuming food — typically raw fruits and vegetables — or water contaminated with feces that transmit the cyclospora parasite, according to the CDC. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, with children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems facing a higher risk of serious illness. Two individuals who died in Michigan had significant underlying health conditions that
