Health officials in the United States are grappling with identifying the source of an outbreak causing “explosive diarrhea” that has affected nearly 7,000 individuals across 34 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak, linked to a parasitic infection known as cyclosporiasis, is notoriously difficult to trace, complicating efforts to contain it.
Cyclosporiasis, which spreads through contaminated food or water, typically sees a surge during summer months. The primary symptom of this illness is frequent, watery diarrhea, which seldom results in death, as noted by BBC.
Experts state that the parasite responsible for the infection is challenging to detect, partly due to budget cuts impacting federal health agencies. Steven Manderach, executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, described the difficulty in identifying the parasite as akin to searching for a microscopic portion of a needle in a haystack.
Infected individuals usually do not experience symptoms for one to two weeks, unlike most foodborne illnesses that manifest within hours, making it harder to pinpoint the contaminated food source, explained Jodie Guest, vice president for epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
Testing food for Cyclospora is more complex than for other pathogens, Manderach stated. The process involves washing large quantities of potentially contaminated food to remove Cyclospora, which reduces testing possibilities before checking for the presence of the parasite.
Due to the scale of the outbreak, public health experts believe there may be multiple contamination points in the food supply chain, further complicating investigations. Michigan has reported the highest number of cases, with over 3,300, followed by New York. Health authorities have advised the public to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, avoid certain fruits like raspberries, and cook vegetables to kill the pathogen, although the source remains unidentified.
States Ramp Up Testing Amid Cyclospora Cases
Some public health experts indicated that budget cuts have impeded the identification of the outbreak’s origin. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. implemented budget and personnel reductions as part of billionaire Elon Musk’s push to cut costs through his Department of Government Efficiency.
The federal government has reduced the capacity of its Active Surveillance Network for Foodborne Illnesses (FoodNet), which tracks several pathogens, including Cyclospora, Salmonella, and Listeria. Last year, FoodNet curtailed monitoring activities for all pathogens except two.
CDC highlighted that funding has not kept pace with program needs in a note to Connecticut’s state officials, according to NBC News. Before halting Cyclospora monitoring, FoodNet collected data on positive cases and analyzed food sources from various states and laboratories, which were then centralized nationally, said Guest, a former FoodNet employee.
“When we observe an outbreak, we lack the data we would normally expect to use to help us, and that is one of the consequences,” she stated. “You start from scratch.” The CDC continues to collaborate with 3,000 health departments to gather data and monitor Cyclospora via other surveillance systems.
While the HHS asserted that health funding for foodborne illnesses has remained stable, some states, like Colorado, which has seen 90 cases this year—similar to previous years—reported receiving fewer federal funds and having reduced personnel for monitoring cases.
Despite challenges, Colorado’s health department has continued testing, monitoring, and reporting data to the CDC.
Manderach noted that agencies responsible for food safety generally operate under previous standards, despite changes during the Trump administration. “While yes, I believe there were challenges initially, most of these appear to have been resolved,” he commented.
Other severe health issues, such as the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have also strained resources, according to David Weber, professor of medicine, pediatrics, and epidemiology at the University of North Carolina.
Resource deficits have compelled states to take more responsibility for foodborne illnesses, said Nancy Glick from the National Consumers League. “States are doing this now, but they do not have the resources that the CDC had,” she noted.
Thousands Interviewed About Recent Meals
Epidemiologists are currently interviewing individuals who tested positive for cyclosporiasis about the foods consumed in the week or two leading up to their illness, aiming to identify a common element—a specific product or location associated with the infection—to help halt the outbreak.
This retrospective analysis involves extensive resources and is a time-consuming process, particularly for some smaller local health departments. “It’s straightforward, but it requires a large number of people,” Weber said.
Meanwhile, Americans are urged to take precautions to protect themselves and avoid this unpleasant illness. “Unfortunately, the list of concerns is quite long, making the situation appear very difficult to control at the moment,” Guest remarked.
