Health officials have identified a prepackaged salad mix as the possible source of a rare stomach bug that’s shown up across the central U.S. in recent weeks. However, it remains unclear if the salads are responsible for at least six cases of the cyclospora infection in Wisconsin.
Almost 375 cases of cyclospora have been reported, with six Wisconsin cases in Grant, Brown, and Milwaukee counties.
In Nebraska, health officials pinpointed a salad mix that includes iceberg and romaine lettuce, red cabbage, and carrots. They are currently checking to see if more than one brand was involved, although most of the suspected products have been removed from stores.
Cyclospora is a rare parasite that causes long gastrointestinal illnesses. The US Centers for Disease Control says 21 people have been hospitalized by the condition between June and July. While the CDC says it has not identified a specific cause of the outbreak, it is still checking all possible leads.