An Ohio man claims in a federal lawsuit that he developed cysticercosis after eating three meals at a Taco Bell restaurant in the southwest suburbs of Cleveland.
According to a lawsuit filed July 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, North Olmsted resident Mohamed R. Ayyad visited Taco Bell restaurants multiple times and ate multiple menu items before becoming ill several days later.
According to the complaint, Ayyad visited the North Olmsted Taco Bell twice on June 14 and June 21.
Ayyad began experiencing early symptoms on June 23, which is consistent with the incubation period for cyclosporosis, according to the complaint. The next day he started vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms include headache, chills, weakness, and insomnia.
According to the complaint, Ayyad was not feeling well until July 2 and had trouble keeping food down after that day.
He went to urgent care at the Cleveland Clinic in North Olmsted and was told to take an over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication. A few days later, the man provided a stool sample that tested positive for cyclosporosis, and it was confirmed that he had cyclosporosis, according to the complaint.
After the diagnosis was confirmed, he was prescribed the antibiotic Bactrim, which he continued to take at the time the lawsuit was filed on July 16. He continued to experience nausea and persistent headaches, and missed about two weeks from work due to the infection, according to the lawsuit.
Many people who contract food poisoning continue to suffer for several weeks. Ayyad is represented by William Marler, a lawyer who specializes in food safety cases.
The lawsuit names Pacific Bells LLC, which owned and operated the North Olmsted Taco Bell locations, as a defendant. Pacific Bells did not immediately respond to a voice message and email from USA TODAY.
On July 16, Taco Bell announced it would remove lettuce from an anonymous supplier in some states.
Taco Bell said in a statement: “While no formal recommendations have been issued, we believe public health is a shared responsibility of our restaurants, our suppliers, and our authorities, and we are proud that we have consistently acted quickly and aggressively to protect our customers.” “Taco Bell is taking precautions and we encourage all associated restaurants, retailers and food service providers to do the same.”
