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What Are the Worst Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in US History?

Health officials say the state total nearly doubled from last year as federal surveillance logged 13,895 U.S. infections since May 1.

  • Federal health officials reported 13,895 laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases since May 1, a tenfold jump from 1,180 cases in the same period last year, with Florida Department of Health documenting 417 infections as of August 8.
  • Investigators traced the multistate outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Fresh Farms, with this single contamination event accounting for 9,481 illnesses across 17 states and marking the largest cyclospora outbreak in United States history.
  • Increased awareness and multiplex testing panels detect infections previously missed, though congressional oversight letters indicate reduced Cyclospora coverage in the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network since 2025, shifting reliance to passive state reporting.
  • Dr. Steven Goldberg, chief medical officer of HealthTrack, recommends washing produce with "forceful running water" and friction, adding that "a safe strategy if you're eating fruits and vegetables is to cook them at high temperature."
  • Consumer sentiment remains divided: Venice resident Brendan McCoy cited financial burden from illness, while Gary Yodice of Land O' Lakes stated "I'm still gonna eat it," as thousands of additional infections await further investigation.
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What are the worst foodborne illness outbreaks in US history?

More than 9,400 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases across 17 states make this outbreak one of the worst foodborne illness events in modern history.

·Birmingham, United States
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Cyclospora outbreaks with no confirmed sources grow: FDA

Nearly 14,000 cases of cyclospora have been confirmed in the U.S., according to the CDC. Last year, the U.S. saw fewer than 2,000.

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Medical Daily broke the news on Monday, August 17, 2026.
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