US cyclosporiasis cases hit record as health agencies face funding cuts

The United States is seeing its highest number of cyclosporiasis cases on record this year, according to NPR, as state, local and federal health agencies struggle to respond. The outbreak has highlighted gaps in the system that tracks and investigates foodborne illness.

NPR reported that the response has been strained by cuts made last year under the Trump administration, which reduced support for the federal agencies that help fund outbreak work. Those agencies also back the state and local teams that trace contaminated food and limit further spread.

Cyclosporiasis is a foodborne illness caused by a parasite, and outbreaks are typically investigated through coordination between local health departments and federal experts. The current surge has drawn attention to how much that network depends on sustained funding.

The reporting comes as public-health officials continue to monitor the outbreak and assess how to contain it. The case count and the funding backdrop together have made this year a test for the country’s food-safety response system.