Parasite Cases Increasing In MD: See Latest Data, Products To Avoid

Case numbers of cyclosporiasis continue to steadily increase in Maryland as officials work to contain the multi-state outbreak of the diarrhea-causing parasite.

The CDC says Maryland has between 50 and 199 laboratory confirmed cases. As of Wednesday, the Maryland Department of Health has confirmed 190 cases: 66 domestically acquired, 68 internationally acquired and 56 as-yet undetermined.

The latest figures mark a week-on-week increase of 15 new cyclosporiasis cases.

Both the CDC and MDH say their counts lag behind actual numbers, as it takes time to confirm suspected cases and symptoms can take days or weeks to develop sometimes.

As of Aug. 5, the CDC had identified 15 states as part of a single outbreak, with a national case count over 24,000. As of Aug. 10, the CDC says there are 13,895 confirmed cases of domestically acquired cyclosporiasis and another 10,455 cases that require further investigation and analysis to determine their origin.

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The CDC also confirmed 740 hospitalizations and two deaths, with 47 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, reporting cases.

Thousands more cases have been reported by state health departments. In the epicenter of the outbreak, Michigan, the state health department reports 12,485 cases as of Aug. 6.

The investigation into the source of the outbreak remains ongoing.

The recall on iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms in Mexico remains in place, despite a false positive on a test earlier this week. Traceback data from cases connects this outbreak to that source, the CDC said.

Taco Bell has since removed the affected lettuce from its local restaurants and national supply chain, and Taylor Farms has issued a nationwide recall of iceberg lettuce sourced from Mexico. Sysco, the nation’s largest food distributor, withdrew all Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from Mexico at ​the supplier's request.

Find the complete list of affected products, as well as lot codes and use-by dates, here.