The nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis — a gastrointestinal illness that causes “explosive diarrhea”— may be far more extensive than federal officials have reported due to Trump administration cuts, experts say. The foodborne illness, triggered by the cyclospora parasite, has spread to more than two dozen states and is believed to have impacted thousands of people nationwide, making it one of the worst outbreaks in recent years. Yet a precise case count has proved difficult to pin down after the parasite was dropped from a key U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracking program last year. Last summer, the CDC scaled back its Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network — the primary system for monitoring these types of illnesses known as FoodNet — to track just two pathogens: salmonella and E. coli. Prior to the change, the network also monitored six other pathogens, including cyclospora. As a result, one expert warned: “We have a lot less information to work with.”
Published: July 14, 2026 4:46 pm
Source: The Independent — Read original