CDC Updates Cyclospora Information Linked to McDonald's Salads

In a July 19 update, CDC is advising anyone who has eaten a salad from a McDonald’s restaurant in Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin since mid-May (on or after 5/14/2018) and developed diarrhea to see a healthcare provider to be tested for Cyclospora infection and to be treated if sick. Any leftover salads should be eaten; they should be discarded.

The advice is due to the multi-state outbreak of Cyclospora infections being investigated by CDC, FDA and public health and regulatory officials in several states. As of July 19, 2018, 163 laboratory-confirmed cases of Cyclospora infection were reported in people who consumed salads from McDonald’s restaurants; the cases were reported by 10 states. At this time, CDC stated that there is no evidence to suggest that this cluster of illnesses is related to the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak linked to Del Monte fresh produce vegetable trays.

Illnesses from the salads started on or after May 1, 2018. The median illness onset date is June 28, 2018 (range: May 20 to July 10), At least three (3) people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. However illnesses that started after June 7, 2018, might not have been reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. For Cyclospora infections, this can take up to six weeks.

Epidemiologic evidence indicates that salads purchased from McDonald’s restaurants are one likely source of these infections. The investigation is ongoing, and FDA is working to determine the source of the ingredients used in the salads served at McDonald’s, as the investigation has not identified a single, common ingredient in the salads linked to illness.

State and local health departments are interviewing ill people to find out what foods they ate in the two weeks before they got sick. Many ill people reported eating salads from McDonald’s restaurants located in the Midwest. People reported eating a variety of McDonald’s salads.

For more information, visit the CDC outbreak page.