The US Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded a food safety alert on Sunday, widening the recall of shredded iceberg lettuce tied to a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to Taco Bell and other outlets. Both agencies urged consumers to discard affected products.

The FDA traced the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis to shredded lettuce distributed to restaurants in several states. Contaminated produce sourced from Mexico and other suppliers remained under investigation, with warnings that additional lots could be affected.

Cyclosporiasis causes prolonged watery diarrhea, cramps, nausea and fatigue, persisting for weeks without treatment. The CDC advised anyone with symptoms who recently ate at affected restaurants to seek care, noting the infection is treatable with specific antibiotics rather than standard anti-diarrheal medicines.

The FDA said it was working with distributors to identify the point of contamination and remove implicated lots from the supply chain. Taco Bell pulled the affected lettuce from menus at impacted locations while cooperating with investigators.

Cyclospora outbreaks recur most summers in the United States, often linked to imported fresh produce. The CDC recorded rising case counts through July, with health officials anticipating the total would grow as laboratory confirmations from earlier illnesses were reported.