Taylor Farms located in California.Photo: Getty Images
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention continues to track cyclosporiasis cases around the U.S., there’s been a notable spike of reported cases here in Massachusetts.
According to the Mass. Department of Public Health, there have been 147 cases of cyclosporiasis reported so far in 2026, which is nearly double the number of cases last year. In 2025, the total number of cases was 74.
“We’ve been fortunate in Massachusetts that we haven’t been hit very hard compared to the thousands of cases that have been seen in other states,” DPH Medical Director Dr. Larry Madoff said. “We’ve seen a lot of scattered cases, a few linked cases that we could identify as a cluster, but nothing that we would classify as a large outbreak.”
The virus has been linked to fresh produce like lettuce, cilantro, and basil. Some cases here in Massachusetts were linked to producer Taylor Farms, which was sold to some local restaurants.
Last month, the CDC linked outbreaks in five states to iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell.
“Fortunately, there have not been any cases linked to Taco Bells in Massachusetts,” said Dr. Madoff.
In a statement, the fast food chain said it has since removed all affected Taylor Farms lettuce.
Symptoms for cyclosporiasis include frequent and watery diarrhea, nausea, and severe stomach cramps. The virus is not contagious.
Dr. Madoff said if you believe you are infected, you should talk to a doctor and get tested for any food-borne illness. While the virus usually goes away by itself, it can take some time.
“The national picture looks like it’s hit its peak. It’s a little harder to say here in Massachusetts,” said Dr. Madoff. “We have not yet seen a downswing in cases, but it’s likely that it will follow the national trend.”
Meantime this week, Michigan reported two deaths linked to cyclosporiasis. As of Wednesday, more than 12,000 cases have been reported in that state.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Madison Rogers (@madisonWBZ) reports.