Confirmed infections linked to the foodborne parasite Cyclospora have climbed past 17,000 since May 1, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even as federal support for research into the pathogen is reportedly being scaled back. Public health experts caution that the reported figures represent only a fraction of the outbreak's true scope, as many infections go undiagnosed or unreported due to the specialized testing required to detect the microscopic parasite.
The surge coincides with the discontinuation of several U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research projects following funding cuts, raising concerns among scientists about the future of tracking and mitigating foodborne illnesses. The Trump administration is scaling back much of the federal government's cyclospora research effort at the same time the country is experiencing its largest known outbreak of the parasite in years.
According to a report from Politico, two of the three USDA research projects focused on cyclospora were defunded by Congress earlier this year, while a third project is being relocated from Maryland to Iowa in the coming months as part of a broader USDA reorganization. Politico reported that none of the scientists working on that project plan to relocate, raising concerns among researchers that key expertise could be lost. Researchers told Politico the cuts could slow efforts to better understand how cyclospora contaminates food and help investigators respond more quickly to future outbreaks.
However, a USDA spokesperson told the outlet that no research would be disrupted with the changes. Newsweek reached out to the USDA and the White House by email for comment. A substantial share of this season's illnesses has been linked to a multistate outbreak associated with shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, which health officials connected to cases across at least 20 states.
At least 11,458 cases have been tied to the recalled lettuce, which was served through food-service channels and sold at retail stores. The outbreak has resulted in at least 495 hospitalizations, according to the CDC. While federal health officials linked the outbreak to the company's produce through epidemiological and traceback evidence, Taylor Farms has stated that no product or environmental sample tested during the investigation yielded a confirmed positive result for the parasite.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that the affected products' best-by dates have passed and expressed confidence that the recalled items are out of supply chains, though investigators continue working to determine the origin of the contamination. Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis and is typically spread through food or water contaminated with human fecal matter. In the United States, outbreaks are most often linked to fresh produce such as leafy greens, herbs and berries, because the parasite can survive on foods that are eaten raw.
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