Michigan's Salad Addiction: Now Serving Diarrhea with a Side of Cyclosporiasis
KEY POINTS
- •Since May 1, the US has confirmed 1,645 cyclosporiasis cases, with Michigan reporting 3,309 by July 13.
- •Michigan leads infection counts possibly due to superior testing rather than originating the outbreak.
- •Health officials suggest cooking greens and buying whole lettuce heads to avoid the hard-to-wash parasite.
Since May 1, the US has been playing host to 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, the charming parasite responsible for explosive diarrhea, with over 5,100 more suspects waiting for their unsavory diagnoses. Michigan, the country’s lettuce-loving champion, leads the charge with an alarming jump from 161-300 to 501-900 cases in just four days, thanks to apparently spectacularly contaminated leafy greens and salads. The Michigan Department of Health reported a staggering 3,309 total cases by July 13, dwarfing their usual 40-50 annual hiccups. CDC and states like New York, Ohio, and North Carolina tussle over numbers while sage advice includes boiling your greens to 158F and peeling salad leaves like an onion because washing won't save you from this sticky little parasite. No culprit grower or supplier is fingered yet, proving once again that the nation’s fresh food supply chain is the closest thing we have to a nationwide mystery thriller starring diarrhea.
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(1 of 3)Turns out if you eat enough pre-washed salad, Michigan will make sure you develop a personal relationship with diarrhea. Congrats, America's favorite parasite hotspot!
Michigan has officially rebranded as America’s Diarrhea Capital thanks to its all-you-can-eat cyclospora buffet in lettuce.
Why buy a thriller novel when you can eat bagged salad in Michigan and enjoy a two-week symptom mystery with clenching?
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 7/15/2026 | Author: Kashmira Gander,Pete Syme,Kim Schewitz
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