Jon Ossoff

“Now a cyclosporiasis outbreak sweeps the nation,” Ossoff said in the letter. “Your foolish and self-indulgent demolition of critical public health programs puts Americans at risk.

There have been 1,645 cases of cyclosporiasis confirmed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since May, with over 5,100 cases undergoing further analysis nationwide. Thirty-four states have reported cases to the CDC, with the largest number in Michigan.

“The Trump Administration is actively undermining food safety,” Ossoff said, noting the number of cases across the U.S. “Americans are suffering from severe diarrhea and painful complications.”

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection often contracted by drinking food or water contaminated with human feces infected with the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, nausea, and fatigue. Outbreaks in the past have been tied to imported produce such as raspberries, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, snow peas, and basil, according to the CDC.

Ossoff requested that Kennedy clarify if FoodNet has restored tracking of Cyclospora cayetanensis, why tracking was terminated, and provide an update on investigations seeking the source and scope of the outbreak.

FoodNet is a collaborative program among the CDC, the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and 10 state health departments. The surveillance area covers 16% of the U.S. population.

According to the CDC’s website, the decision to cut surveillance to two pathogens, Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. Coli, was because “the surveillance landscape has changed since the collaboration began in 1995.”

“Today, other surveillance systems monitor for infection with FoodNet pathogens,” the website said. “Changes to the reporting requirements and associated activities allow FoodNet staff to prioritize core activities, while maintaining both the infrastructure and quality FoodNet represents.”

WHAT IS CYCLOSPORIASIS, AND WHAT ARE THE HIGHEST-RISK STATES?

While FoodNet no longer required surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis and five other pathogens, the state health departments involved in the program could conduct surveillance of the pathogens on their own. The program includes Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, and select counties in California and New York.

At the time of the reporting requirement cuts, food safety experts warned the move could create difficulty in tracking how common food-borne illnesses are and if cases are rising.