The largest cyclosporiasis outbreak ever recorded in the United States has officially ended, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday.
The foodborne illness sickened 12,833 people across 21 states during the peak cluster, making it an unprecedented public health event in recent U.S. history.
Health officials linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms in Mexico, a finding that triggered widespread concern about food supply safety.
The major cluster fuelled the worst cyclosporiasis season on record overall, with 19,595 total cases of the illness caused by the parasite cyclospora reported nationwide.
Two deaths were recorded in the United States, both occurring in Michigan, which became the epicenter of the largest outbreak cluster.
The scale of the crisis drew intense scrutiny toward U.S. food safety procedures and corporate consolidation within the country’s food supply chain.
Staffing levels and funding at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also came under fresh examination as the outbreak grew throughout the summer months.
Cyclospora proved particularly difficult for health officials to track because the parasite carries an unusually long incubation period, complicating efforts to identify its source quickly.
By the time investigators traced the illness back to a specific food product, the implicated produce had often already spoiled, further hampering the response effort.
Taylor Farms recalled the iceberg lettuce in July, including packages sold through major grocery retailers such as Walmart, in an effort to contain further spread.
Taco Bell, which served shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from Taylor Farms, also pulled the product from its restaurants that same month following the outbreak link.
The crisis dampened consumer confidence in fresh lettuce broadly, leading to lower sales at grocery stores and at restaurants that feature fresh lettuce prominently on their menus.