In July 2026, health officials began investigating a fast-growing cyclosporiasis outbreak that has climbed past 700 reported cases in Michigan and prompted a CDC investigation across Texas and 16 other states, with no food source yet identified.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting cyclosporiasis food poisoning cases in all 50 states. If you got sick with a Cyclospora infection during the 2026 outbreak, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Quick Facts About This Outbreak
- Illness: Cyclosporiasis, an intestinal infection from the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis
- Michigan cases: More than 700 reported since June 22, 2026 (as of July 6)
- Michigan hospitalizations: 36 reported
- National cases: 145 in 17 states, including Texas, between May 1 and June 16, 2026 (CDC); 20 hospitalized, no deaths
- Suspected source: Not identified; the leading theory is contaminated fresh produce
- Product recalled: None as of publication. No grower, brand, or product has been named
- Common symptoms: Frequent, watery and often explosive diarrhea, cramps, nausea, fatigue and weight loss
- Official source: CDC cyclosporiasis surveillance
What Happened in the 2026 Cyclospora Outbreak?
In late June 2026, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development began investigating a large and growing cluster of cyclosporiasis. The count exploded from:
- roughly 170 cases on June 30
- to 572 cases on July 4
- more than 700 cases by July 6
For comparison, the state of Michigan normally records only about 50 cyclosporiasis cases in an entire year.
Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive at MDHHS, described the scale of the problem:
“Outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been occurring across the United States and now here in Michigan. Based on the unusual number of cases we have identified in a little over a week, we anticipate additional cases of illness being reported.”
Most of the cases in Michigan have been concentrated in the southeast corner of the state, with the highest numbers in Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland, and Livingston counties. The reported illnesses have spanned patients from 8 to 84 years old.
How Many People Have Gotten Sick?
As of July 6, 2026, MDHHS had received more than 700 reports of cyclosporiasis since June 22, along with 36 reported hospitalizations. Those numbers reflect only laboratory-confirmed reports.
Nationally, the picture is separate but related. The CDC reported that 145 people in 17 states, including Texas, got sick between May 1 and June 16, 2026, without recent international travel, with 20 hospitalizations and no deaths.
The CDC has said there is no evidence that all 145 cases are part of a single outbreak, and Michigan’s rapidly growing cluster has not been folded into that federal count. If you were one of the people counted in either investigation, you are far from alone, and the source of your illness may still be identified.
What Is Cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness linked to the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. People become infected by eating food or drinking water that contains the parasite, most often fresh produce grown or handled in contaminated conditions.
Unlike many stomach bugs, cyclosporiasis does not usually spread directly from person to person, because the parasite has to spend days maturing in the environment before it can infect someone. Symptoms generally begin 2 to 14 days after exposure, about a week on average.
What Are the Symptoms of a Cyclospora Infection?
Health officials say a Cyclospora infection can produce a prolonged, draining illness. Reported symptoms include:
- Frequent, watery and sometimes explosive diarrhea
- Stomach cramps and bloating
- Nausea and loss of appetite
- Fatigue and weight loss
- Low-grade fever in some cases
Without treatment, the illness can last from a few days to more than a month, and symptoms often improve for a while and then return. That relapsing pattern is one reason many people never connect a lingering illness to something they ate weeks earlier.
Why Do So Many Cyclospora Cases Go Undiagnosed?
Cyclosporiasis is frequently missed because a routine stool culture, the default test for acute diarrhea, does not detect Cyclospora. Confirming the parasite requires a specific order, such as a modified acid-fast stain or a Cyclospora PCR.
The practical result is that a patient can be told their stool test was “negative” and their illness is “probably viral” while still carrying an undiagnosed parasite. Once it is correctly identified, cyclosporiasis is treatable with prescription antibiotics. That kind of drawn-out, relapsing illness is exactly the pattern being reported in this outbreak.
What Foods Have Been Linked to Cyclospora Outbreaks?
No food has been confirmed as the source of the 2026 outbreak. However, health officials note that past U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreaks have repeatedly been traced to fresh produce, including:
- Bagged salad mixes and kits
- Fresh cilantro and basil
- Raspberries
- Snow peas
- Green onions
Because produce is often grown in one state, packaged in another, and shipped nationwide, a single contaminated ingredient can sicken people across many states before investigators trace it.
What Are Health Officials Recommending?
MDHHS has urged residents and food-service operators to take extra care with fresh produce. Its guidance includes buying whole heads of lettuce rather than bagged mixes, discarding the outer 2 to 3 layers of leaves, washing produce under running water even if it will be peeled, and cooking food to 158 degrees or higher when possible, which kills the parasite.
The agency has said cyclosporiasis is not usually life-threatening, but that dehydration from repeated diarrhea can lead to severe illness, especially in young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems such as chemotherapy and transplant patients.
Has Any Product Been Recalled?
No. As of publication, neither the CDC nor the FDA has named a specific grower, supplier, brand, or product, and no recall has been issued for the 2026 outbreak. Investigators are still interviewing patients and tracing multiple clusters to find a common source.
That does not mean the outbreak has no cause, only that it has not been pinned down yet. If a contaminated product is eventually identified, people who got sick may have grounds to pursue a claim, and documenting your illness now can help protect your rights later.
Do I Have a Cyclospora Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting cyclosporiasis injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know got sick with a Cyclospora infection during the 2026 outbreak, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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