GoKawiilYou might dub it "produce paranoia." On social media, videos show people clearing out their fridges, swearing off salads and debating whether it's safe to eat cilantro.
It's the frantic but expected internet response to the surge in cases of a diarrhea-causing parasite that's rapidly spreading across the US, as health officials investigate whether salad greens may be contributing to the outbreak.
As of Tuesday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had received reports of 1,645 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and is investigating 5,100 additional reports. Cases of the "explosive diarrhea parasite" have been reported across 34 states, with Michigan among the hardest-hit regions.
The gastrointestinal illness is caused by cyclospora, a foodborne pathogen that's difficult to trace but has historically been linked to fresh produce such as berries and lettuce. For several weeks, no specific food, brand, grower or supplier was conclusively identified as the source of the outbreak, which has led to panicking and a whole lot of dark memes.
The CDC reported late Thursday that officials are investigating a link to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The agency advised consumers to avoid eating shredded lettuce from Taco Bell locations in those states. The CDC said Taco Bell is working to remove lettuce from its locations and is also working with the supplier to determine whether any contaminated lettuce was sent to other locations.
However, the initial lack of information didn't stop people from panicking, oversharing and making a whole lot of dark memes. With any health scare, bad advice and myths spread just as fast as the actual illness. So we turned to healthcare experts to learn the facts.
"I wouldn't necessarily suggest that people avoid produce," said Dr. John Openshaw, an infectious disease physician and medical epidemiologist at Stanford University. "Even though the number of people involved in the current outbreak or outbreaks seems large, overall the risk remains very low to most people."
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is caused by cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite transmitted through fecal matter that infects the small intestine. According to infectious disease experts at Johns Hopkins, it takes only a few microscopic cyclospora eggs to hijack your gastrointestinal tract.
In the US, previous cyclospora outbreaks have frequently been associated with fresh produce, including bagged salad mixes, cilantro, basil, raspberries, snow peas and green onions. Any food that's contaminated and eaten uncooked can theoretically transmit cyclospora.
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