A devastating parasitic outbreak is unfolding across the United States, with over 2,800 cases reported so far. The crisis has left health officials scrambling to contain the spread of cyclosporiasis in Michigan, where a staggering 2,640 cases have been confirmed, and neighbouring Ohio, which has recorded 177 cases. This worrying trend highlights the need for robust public health infrastructure – something that US authorities are struggling to maintain due to significant cuts in funding.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has independently identified 843 confirmed cases across 31 states, with an additional 1,500 suspected cases. A total of 86 hospitalisations have been reported, although fortunately, no fatalities have occurred. Michigan's chief medical executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, has acknowledged that a linked outbreak is currently underway.
Experts are increasingly concerned that the scale and complexity of the outbreak have been exacerbated by significant cuts to public health funding. In March 2025, the Trump administration reduced grants to state and local health departments by $11.4 billion. Although these funds were initially earmarked for pandemic response, they also supported broader public health infrastructure, including the capacity to respond to outbreaks.
Furthermore, in July 2025, the Trump administration scaled back the remit of FoodNet, a crucial programme that actively monitored for foodborne outbreaks. FoodNet's scope was narrowed from tracking eight foodborne pathogens, including cyclospora, to focusing solely on shiga toxin-producing E. coli and salmonella. Barbara Kowalcyk, an associate professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, stated that these cuts have made it harder to "see the whole picture" during such health crises.
The investigation into the source of the current outbreak is proving challenging due to the parasite's two-week incubation period and a typical six-week lag between illness onset and case reporting. Michigan's health department has urged restaurants and commercial kitchens in the south-east to thoroughly wash or cook leafy greens, snow peas, certain herbs, and raspberries, though no specific source has yet been identified.