A Chicago man who contracted a diarrhea parasite after eating at Taco Bell is sharing his harrowing experience in a bid to warn others about the outbreak. Alonso Zaragoza, 46, developed symptoms of Cyclospora over the weekend of July 11 and 12, after consuming a chalupa from the luxe box at a Taco Bell location.
Zaragoza, who was recovering in hospital, told an outlet that his symptoms worsened over the next few days, with frequent trips to the washroom and a loss of sleep. He eventually visited Northwestern Hospital after noticing blood in his stool and was given an IV drip and had blood and stool samples taken, which confirmed the infection.
The outbreak of Cyclospora has led to nearly 1,700 confirmed diagnoses across the United States, with an additional 5,100 reports in 34 states, according to officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The microscopic parasite causes a condition characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.
Zaragoza racked his brain to figure out what may have given him the parasite, but only one thing stood out - the chalupa from the luxe box at Taco Bell. He had looked through everything, but found that the only ingredient that contained lettuce was the chalupa, which listed iceberg lettuce as an ingredient.
The outbreak has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. The Food and Drug Administration launched an investigation, which led them to a single iceberg lettuce supplier in Mexico used by Taco Bell locations where sick people ate.
The FDA has warned diners not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in the aforementioned states, and the company has removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from Mexico from the U.S. market due to a potential Cyclospora contamination. Taco Bell has also removed contaminated lettuce from its restaurants nationwide.
The company released a statement saying that they worked swiftly to voluntarily remove the product from restaurants, and the affected ingredient has been removed from their supply chain nationwide, out of an abundance of caution. They aimed to ensure their guests can enjoy their Taco Bell favorites safely.
