The McDonald’s cyclospora outbreak was the number one outbreak of 2018, with 511 people in 16 states sickened. Twenty four people were hospitalized because they were so sick.
Epidemiologic and traceback evidence found that salads purchased from McDonald’s were “one likely source of this outbreak.” The FDA did not name other sources.
On July 26, 2018, the FDA completed analysis of an unused package of romaine lettuce and carrot mix that was distributed to McDonald’s by the Fresh Express processor in Streamwood, Illinois. They confirmed the presence of the cyclospora parasite in the sample. However, the FDA did not identify a single source of point of contamination for this outbreak.
The patient case count by state was: Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Iowa (99), Illinois (274), Indiana (10), Kentucky (9), Michigan (2), Minnesota (11), Missouri (52), Nebraska (5), New York City (1), Ohio (16), South Dakota (18), Tennessee (1), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (10). The patients who lived in Connecticut, Florida, New York City, Tennessee, and Virginia purchased salads in one of the Midwest states. Illness onset dates ranged from May 20 to July 23, 2018. The patient age range was from 14 to 92 years.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a cyclospora infection, you can contact attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
Patients said they ate a variety of salad purchased at McDonald’s before they got sick. On July 13, 2018, McDonald’s stopped selling salads in more than 3000 locations in 14 states.
In addition to the McDonald’s salads, pre-made salads and wraps that were distributed by Caito Foods used romaine lettuce from Fresh Express and were recalled on July 30, 2018.
The law firm of Pritzker Hageman filed the first McDonald’s cyclospora lawsuit in Iowa in July 2018.
The symptoms of cyclosporiasis include explosive and frequent diarrhea, weight loss, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, fatigue, and nausea. These symptoms can go away and reoccur for months without notice. This illness is not passed person-to-person, since the oocyst must mature after it is expelled from the body in feces.
