- Ohio resident Mohammed R. Ayyad filed a federal lawsuit against Taco Bell, claiming he contracted a parasitic infection, cyclosporiasis, after eating at a Cleveland-area location.
- Ayyad reported severe symptoms, including persistent nausea and headaches, and missed two weeks of work following his meals of Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes and Avocado Ranch Chicken Stackers in June 2026.
- This lawsuit is the first amid a widespread cyclosporiasis outbreak, which has affected nearly 7,000 people nationally and has been linked to contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell.
- Attorney Bill Marler, representing Ayyad, stated the suit seeks to identify the parasite's source and implement preventative changes, while also criticizing the public health apparatus's handling of such outbreaks.
- The CDC and FDA confirmed Taco Bell as the outbreak's epicenter, with the contaminated lettuce traced to a farm in Mexico through a California supplier.
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