Alonso Zaragoza, a 46-year-old Chicago resident, has identified a Taco Bell meal as the probable cause of a severe parasitic infection that required hospitalization. Zaragoza was admitted to a Northwell Hospital emergency room on Wednesday after suffering a week of escalating symptoms, including intense diarrhea and blood in his stool.
Zaragoza told NBC Chicago 5 that he experienced urgent bathroom visits every ninety minutes, preventing him from sleeping for more than ninety minutes at a time. After noticing blood, he sought emergency care where doctors performed blood tests and collected a stool sample.
The medical team diagnosed him with cyclosporiasis, a parasite that infects the small intestine and spreads through contaminated produce rather than person-to-person contact.
To determine the source of the illness, Zaragoza reviewed his recent food consumption. He noted that the only item containing lettuce was a chalupa from Taco Bell’s Luxe Box. He checked the restaurant’s mobile app and searched online for ingredient lists, which indicated the use of iceberg lettuce.
The case occurs against the backdrop of a cyclosporiasis outbreak spanning five states, which the Food and Drug Administration is investigating. While federal agencies have not publicly named a supplier, two anonymous sources told The Washington Post that Taylor Farms provided the shredded iceberg lettuce. Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall on Friday for lettuce sourced from central Mexico.
Taco Bell stated it has removed the affected lettuce from its locations.
