by: Rob Taub
Posted: Aug 6, 2026 / 10:51 AM EDT
Updated: Aug 6, 2026 / 12:01 PM EDT
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( NewsNation) — As the cyclospora outbreak continues to expand around the country, Dr. Robert Redfield is urging people to stay away from certain fruits and vegetables beyond lettuce.
The CDC reports that an additional six states are reporting cases of cyclosporiasis, with over 22,000 cases confirmed or suspected overall in the U.S.
Cyclosporiasis outbreak: 2 dead, 11,000+ sickened across US
Michigan, which reported the first two deaths from the outbreak, has become a hotspot for the parasite, with more than 11,000 confirmed cases. Officials confirmed both individuals who died had significant underlying health conditions.
Beyond that, health officials in the U.K. have said they’ve witnessed a substantial increase in cases among travelers returning from Mexico. Investigators have linked some cases to lettuce grown in Mexico and distributed by Taylor Farms, though the outbreak’s full source has not been confirmed.
Redfield, a former CDC director, told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” that the parasite has also been found in blueberries, raspberries and snow peas.
“You have to get those vegetables that were contaminated with human fecal material. And so it’s not something we see a lot in the United States,” he said.
Be cautious of raw vegetables, fruit amid cyclospora outbreak: Redfield
The doctor stated that caution should be exercised when consuming raw vegetables beyond bagged lettuce.
“The safest thing to do is get locally grown vegetables because the real risk is these internationally imported vegetables right now,” Redfield noted. “The only way you get cyclosporiasis is if you have to eat vegetables.”
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Expanding on the vegetables, Redfield pointed out the parasite is “very hard to wash off.”
“So if you wash your lettuce and you put it in a lettuce spinner and you have cyclospora in that lettuce, it’s still going to be there,” he said. “You can’t wash it off.”
Sickness from cyclospora can be treated by antibiotics: Redfield
Redfield acknowledged the sickness is treatable for those who get ill for more than 48 hours.
“It’s actually susceptible to an antibiotic we call Septra or Bactrim,” he explained. “So rather than take two to four weeks to get better, you might get better in five to seven days.”
NewsNation’s Alex Caprariello contributed to this report.
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