The Cyclospora outbreak in Iowa has sickened 148 people as of Friday, August 2. About 43 percent of those cases come from just two counties, Polk where Des Moines is located and Linn where Cedar Rapids is located. Last week, health officials in Iowa and Nebraska identified prepackaged salad mix containing iceberg and romaine lettuces, carrots and red cabbage as the source of the outbreak in those states. A traceback investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then found that the source of the contaminated salad was Taylor Farms de Mexico food service salad served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants in Iowa and Nebraska.  The FDA said consumer packages sold in grocery stores are not affected, but did not say where else the tainted salad was distributed. In … [Read more...]

Cyclospora is a one-celled parasite that can cause a laundry list of unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms persisting as long as two months. The parasite is rare and usually associated with tropical or sub-tropical regions, hardly how anyone would describe Iowa. Yet that state has been hit the hardest by a Cyclospora outbreak that may include almost 400 cases in 15 states. Most of Iowa's cases are in two counties. Linn County, where Cedar Rapids is located has 42 cases.  Polk County, where Des Moins is located has 17.  The remaining 84 cases are scattered throughout the sate. The cases in Iowa were caused by the same source as the 78 cases reported in Nebraska, five of whom required treatment at a hospital. Yesterday, health departments from both of those states announced that the … [Read more...]