A rise in US cases of cyclospora, a parasite that causes diarrhoeal illness, is raising concerns that recent staff reductions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could weaken outbreak investigations. A former CDC laboratory leader said the specialist team handling cyclospora had fallen from 11 people to three, potentially slowing work that depends on rapid coordination between federal and state authorities; the CDC disputes that its response laboratory was affected by formal layoffs.

Nearly 7,000 people may have been infected nationwide, although experts believe the real total is higher, with Michigan reporting more than 4,300 cases by Thursday. Investigators are seeking the source, with lettuce from Taylor Farms reportedly identified as a possible link, while the CDC is also managing other outbreaks and international health emergencies amid an estimated workforce reduction of about 3,000 since January 2025.