Ella-Salone Jones, a Detroit resident, has filed a lawsuit against Taco Bell and its produce supplier Taylor Farms after contracting cyclosporiasis. Jones alleges she became ill after consuming shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell locations in Southfield during June and July.
Jones described her symptoms as severe gastrointestinal distress that required hospitalization. She told CBS News Detroit that she experienced between 30 and 40 bathroom trips daily. The illness is caused by a parasite found in food or water contaminated with feces, with explosive diarrhea being a primary symptom.
Jones faces additional complications due to Stage 5 kidney disease. She stated that doctors could not prescribe the standard treatment, Bactrim, because of her condition. Instead, they used less effective medications that have not controlled the infection. Jones remains hospitalized because she cannot retain food or water, warning that her kidneys could fail if she does not receive proper care.
Jones is represented by attorney Ron Simon, whose firm is handling hundreds of similar claims. Simon maintains that Taco Bell and Taylor Farms are linked to the outbreak, which has caused over 4,000 cases and more than 300 hospitalizations across Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. He noted that approximately 10 to 20 percent of his clients have been hospitalized.
Federal health officials initially reported that a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms tested positive for the parasite. However, officials later retracted the finding, calling it a false positive. Simon criticized this development, stating that the tested lettuce was not the source of the outbreak because it had already been consumed.
Taco Bell previously removed potentially impacted lettuce from its locations out of caution. The Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers against eating lettuce from Taco Bell or other restaurants that received recalled produce from Taylor Farms. The supplier announced the removal of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on Friday.
