While a number of Texas' cyclosporiasis cases have now been tied to the massive, lettuce-linked outbreak that's plagued other states, Texas health authorities said this week the cyclospora season is winding down. The diarrhea-inducing parasite typically causes illnesses from the beginning of May to the end of August. Texas is seeing the end of the cyclospora season at the usual time this year, ...

Produce for sale at the Low-Line Market in the 3400 block of North Southport Avenue in Chicago on July 14, 2026.

Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/TNS

While a number of Texas' cyclosporiasis cases have now been tied to the massive, lettuce-linked outbreak that's plagued other states, Texas health authorities said this week the cyclospora season is winding down.

The diarrhea-inducing parasite typically causes illnesses from the beginning of May to the end of August. Texas is seeing the end of the cyclospora season at the usual time this year, according to Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Douglas Loveday.

In recent years, according to the department's website, 97% of cyclosporiasis cases in Texas occurred during that season. That means the bulk of the parasitic illnesses should be over for the year, although cases may continue to be reported into September.

That remains true, Loveday said in an email, even as Texas and federal health authorities are tying some of the Texas cases to the multistate outbreak that's been linked to iceberg lettuce. As of Aug. 31, 20 Texas cases had been linked to that outbreak, Loveday said in a Tuesday afternoon email. Most of those cases, Loveday said, were from the end of June to the middle of July. That means that, while the link to the larger outbreak was only recently announced, the cases themselves are older.

The multistate outbreak has propelled cyclospora to national headlines this year. The outbreak has been linked to contaminated lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. Twenty states have now reported cases connected to the outbreak. There have also been other outbreaks this year connected to other contaminated produce.

Michigan, the hardest-hit state during this year's cyclospora season, has reported a total of 14,510 cases this year, including 356 hospitalizations and two deaths.

As of Aug. 31, Texas health authorities have reported 625 cyclosporiasis cases this year. That's an increase of 67 reported cases from the prior week. Seventy-seven people in Texas have been hospitalized with the illness this year.

Still, Loveday wrote, state and national numbers are dropping as the cyclospora season wraps up. Texas hasn't seen a jump in cases tied to the larger outbreak, Loveday said, but some cases will still be reported throughout September.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website says it can take six weeks to receive case reports.

Most years, Loveday said, Texas health authorities see 10 to 20 cases during cyclospora's off-season.

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