Additional Coverage:
- RFK Jr. slammed for cutting disease tracking program amid waves of explosive diarrhea parasite (themirror.com)
Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia has sharply criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for halting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) surveillance of parasitic infections, including the tracking of cyclospora cases.
Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services suspended the monitoring efforts jointly managed by the CDC, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and 10 state health departments. This move ended a mandatory tracking program for cyclospora that had been in place since 1997.
In a letter sent to Secretary Kennedy last Thursday, Ossoff expressed concern over a nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis, attributing the public health risk to what he described as “foolish and self-indulgent demolition” of crucial monitoring programs. He pressed for clarity on whether the FoodNet program-a collaborative disease-tracking network involving the CDC, USDA, FDA, and several states-would be reinstated. FoodNet tracks infections caused by eight different pathogens and had its operations curtailed amid recent changes.
Ossoff’s letter requested detailed explanations for the suspension of cyclospora tracking and sought updates on epidemiological and food safety investigations aimed at identifying the outbreak’s source and extent. “Has the CDC’s FoodNet been restored to require tracking of Cyclospora cayetanensis?
If not, why?” he asked.
“Why did you terminate tracking of Cyclospora cayetanensis in the first place?”
Currently, more than 1,600 Americans have reported symptoms consistent with cyclosporiasis, including severe diarrhea. The CDC has defended the changes by stating that adjustments in reporting requirements allow FoodNet staff to focus on core activities while maintaining the program’s infrastructure and quality.
Dr. Dan Jernigan, former CDC infectious diseases director, told ABC News that FoodNet had faced “chronically low funding” for some time.
He indicated that while it’s difficult to measure the exact impact of last year’s program changes on the outbreak, the ongoing staff reductions-approximately 25% cuts at the CDC-have hindered the agency’s capacity to respond effectively. According to Jernigan, funding cuts, including reductions in resources from USAID that supported malaria and parasitic disease programs, have diminished the CDC’s depth, resources, and surge capability.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite transmitted through food contaminated by human feces, often when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. Infection causes intestinal illness characterized by frequent and sometimes severe diarrhea, posing a significant public health challenge as the outbreak continues to unfold.