Island County alerts residents to Taco Bell lettuce cyclospora outbreak

Island County Public Health is warning residents about a multistate cyclosporiasis investigation tied to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Federal investigators are still tracing the source, and Taco Bell has voluntarily removed potentially affected lettuce from a supplier as a precaution.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the parasite Cyclospora. It causes watery diarrhea and can bring potentially severe gastrointestinal symptoms. For anyone who ate shredded iceberg lettuce from the named Taco Bell locations and then develops illness, the symptom pattern is the part to watch closely: watery diarrhea, persistent stomach upset, or symptoms that worsen rather than clear should prompt a call to a doctor.

The implicated lettuce may also have gone to other vendors, not just Taco Bell, which broadens the concern beyond the restaurants first named in the alert. No Island County outbreak has been identified.

The CDC and FDA posted outbreak pages in July 2026 for the investigation, and federal staff were working with state partners, including Michigan health officials, to track the source. CDC and FDA outbreak pages in July 2026 tracked thousands of people nationwide under investigation or confirmed.

For households here this week, the practical response is straightforward. Do not eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations in the five states named in the alert. Wash fresh produce before eating it, separate it from raw meats, and keep an eye on public-health updates if you travel or eat at chain restaurants that move ingredients across state lines. If watery diarrhea or other stomach symptoms start after a possible exposure, call your doctor rather than waiting for the illness to pass on its own.