Trump Cuts Mask True Extent of Cyclospora Outbreaks

The Trump administration's gutting of infrastructure for tracking cyclosporiasis cases has hampered efforts to uncover the true extent of recent outbreaks, according to an expert. The massive outbreak of Cyclospora linked to Taylor Farms' iceberg lettuce has resulted in 10,930 reported cases, 454 hospitalizations, and two deaths, primarily in Michigan.

However, six other outbreaks with a total of 270 cases are currently under investigation, but their sources have not been identified. Becky Smullin Dawson, an epidemiologist and professor, notes that public health infrastructure is struggling to keep up with outbreaks as they occur, being "weeks and weeks behind" compared to pre-Trump administration times.

The CDC's FoodNet, which has tracked eight pathogens since 1996, was stripped of its reporting requirement for six pathogens, including Cyclospora, last year. This has made it harder to accurately identify and report Cyclospora cases, potentially leading to underreporting of other pathogens as well. Dawson warns that the current state of food safety reporting leaves the public health community unable to grasp the full picture, leaving them "tempting fate" when dealing with outbreaks.