Rising Cyclospora Cases and CDC Staffing Issues
As instances of the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora escalate across the United States, former CDC employees are expressing concerns about how budget cuts at the agency are undermining the nation’s ability to respond effectively.
Following last year’s extensive government layoffs initiated by President Trump, the CDC’s team dedicated to managing cyclospora outbreaks was reduced dramatically—from 11 members down to just three, as noted by Joel Barratt, a molecular parasitologist and assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine, who previously led that group.
“When you do the math, it’s pretty clear that these responses, needing to be quick and effective, are going to suffer significantly,” he told WIRED. “Cyclospora is in the spotlight right now, but there are far more dangerous pathogens out there.”
Barratt mentioned he chose to leave the CDC in September after eight years, feeling unable to fulfill his duty to public health amid sweeping changes and staff reductions spearheaded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“The atmosphere had turned quite hostile,” he said. “I often found myself explaining to team members why we couldn’t bring them back due to hiring freezes.”
According to reports, the CDC has slashed its workforce by approximately 3,000 employees—about 25% of its staff—since January 2025. This includes both layoffs and those who accepted buyouts from the Trump administration. The American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883 compiled these figures, and the cuts at Barratt’s former lab were first disclosed by Nature.
An HHS representative did not respond when requested for comments.
Nearly 7,000 individuals nationwide might have contracted cyclospora, though experts suspect the actual figure could be much higher. In Michigan alone, over 4,300 cases have been reported as of Thursday.
In the meantime, the CDC is juggling multiple public health emergencies. Besides staff shortages, the agency is responding to a significant Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and several outbreaks in the U.S., such as measles, E. coli linked to frozen blueberries, infant botulism from certain powdered formulas, and various sources of salmonella. Reports indicate that lettuce from Taylor Farms may be connected to the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak.
“Even before the 2025 cuts, we knew our public health surveillance and food safety systems needed improvement,” commented Amira Roess, a professor of global health at George Mason University and a former CDC epidemic intelligence service officer.
Barratt emphasized that managing disease outbreaks is a complicated endeavor, requiring a high degree of coordination between state and federal levels.
Cyclospora presents unique challenges, especially regarding the time gap between food contamination and the onset of illness, which can range from one to two weeks. In some cases, individuals might not seek medical attention until days after their symptoms appear.
After a stool sample tests positive for cyclospora, it’s sent to the state’s health department for evaluation and then forwarded to the CDC for genetic testing. Meanwhile, state epidemiologists conduct interviews with affected individuals to gather details about their dietary habits over the preceding two weeks. This data, too, is sent to the CDC for further analysis.
The CDC lab for parasitic diseases also performs genetic analyses on the confirmed samples, allowing them to pinpoint whether patients are infected with the same cyclospora strain. This crucial information helps CDC epidemiologists identify clusters of illness linked by timing, location, or shared exposure.
“We possess a lot of the methods needed for outbreak investigations,” Roess remarked. “However, without personnel, much of it remains unimplemented.”
