In the long and uneasy relationship between human civilization and the microbial world, a microscopic parasite quietly moved through the American food supply this summer, reaching 12,000 confirmed victims across 21 states before the CDC declared the outbreak over. The crisis — the largest cyclosporiasis outbreak in US history — was traced to lettuce imported from Mexico, a reminder that the global food chain carries not only nourishment but vulnerability. Two lives were lost in Michigan, hundreds were hospitalized, and the true count of the suffering almost certainly exceeds what any official
US declares end to largest cyclosporiasis outbreak; 12,000+ cases linked to Mexican lettuce
Two deaths occurred in Michigan among people with significant underlying health conditions; 570 people were hospitalized across multiple states.