Salmonella, E. coli, norovirus are some of the common foodborne germs

Data Researcher/Curator

WASHINGTON —

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other state public health officials on Thursday linked an outbreak of cyclosporiasis to iceberg lettuce that Taylor Farms supplied to Taco Bell.

Earlier this week, the CDC issued a multistate notice for cyclospora, a foodborne parasite that gets into people’s bodies, particularly their gut, and causes a diarrheal illness.

The CDC is more likely to issue an outbreak notice when the level of public health concern is higher and the public threat is specific, according to its guidelines. The notice was the eighth the CDC issued this year so far, according to its data.

More than 1,600 people reported getting sick after eating at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The FDA traced back a single supplier of the iceberg lettuce from Mexico used by these Taco Bell locations. Taco Bell is working to stop using this lettuce.

The CDC is still investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to this outbreak.

The Get the Facts Data Team analyzed data on CDC multistate foodborne outbreak notices issued since 2006 to determine which germs caused the most notices and which are commonly linked to illness, hospitalizations and deaths.

How many multistate foodborne outbreak notices has the CDC issued since 2006?

Since 2006, the CDC has issued 231 multistate foodborne outbreak notices, letting the public know what actions they can take to stay healthy.

Salmonella was the foodborne germ with the most outbreak notices, at 116. Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, had the second-most outbreak notices with 54, and Listeria had 38.

How many cyclosporiasis outbreaks have there been previously?

The Cyclospora surge is the first cyclosporiasis outbreak for which the CDC has issued a notice this year. The last time the health agency issued an outbreak notice for cyclosporiasis was in 2020 for a bagged salad mix. In total, there have been 10 outbreak notices for the parasite since 2006.

What germs commonly cause foodborne illnesses?

About 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness each year, with about 128,000 ending up hospitalized and 3,000 deaths, according to the CDC.

Norovirus is the leading foodborne germ that causes illness in the U.S. The highly contagious germ, sometimes called the “stomach flu” or “stomach bug,” causes vomiting and diarrhea.

Norovirus is also the leading cause of foodborne illness that results in hospitalization.

But it’s Salmonella that leads in deaths in the U.S. and causes about 1.35 million infections every year.

Click on the link to see how to stay safe from food poisoning and food safety tips from the CDC.