Utah Reports 48 Cyclospora Cases Since May 1 as 31 Link to International Travel

Q: If Utah avoided the recalled lettuce, what mysterious local source infected the five residents who never left the state?

No local source has been identified yet. Utah officials say the five cases involving residents who did not leave the state are still under investigation, and some patients have not been fully interviewed, so the exposure picture could change. What is known is mostly negative evidence: Utah says it did not receive the recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico lettuce tied to the national Cyclospora outbreak, and none of Utah’s cases have been linked to that recall so far. State officials have also said there has not been an unusual statewide spike in gastrointestinal illness, and Cyclospora cases normally begin appearing in Utah in late spring and summer. That leaves several plausible possibilities, but no confirmed answer. Cyclospora is typically spread through contaminated food or water, especially fresh produce. Past outbreaks have involved herbs and vegetables such as cilantro, basil, parsley, raspberries, snap peas and other leafy produce, not just lettuce. The five Utah residents could have been exposed through another imported produce item, a restaurant meal, or contaminated water, but officials have not named any source. The key point is that these five infections remain unexplained rather than mysteriously traced to a known Utah product. Investigators are relying on detailed food histories from patients to look for a common exposure in the two weeks before symptoms began. Until those interviews and any traceback work are complete, the source remains unknown.

3 articles · Updated · KUTV 2News · Aug 4

Utah health officials have logged 48 cyclospora cases since May 1, with most infections tied to travel rather than a confirmed in-state source.
State data shows 31 patients reported international travel and 12 traveled to other U.S. states; five reported no travel outside Utah.
Those five non-travel cases remain under investigation, and officials said several infected people still need to be interviewed.
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food said the state did not receive any recalled products linked to the broader outbreak.