Public health experts are struggling to pinpoint the origins of an outbreak characterized by severe gastrointestinal distress, with some suggesting that budget and staff cuts within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may be complicating the investigation. These cuts have potentially reduced the capacity of crucial surveillance networks designed to track foodborne pathogens.
The federal government had previously reduced the operational scope of its Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), which monitors diseases such as cyclospora, salmonella, and listeria. Last year, FoodNet scaled back its monitoring for all but two pathogens, a move that experts say hinders the ability to quickly identify and respond to outbreaks.
"Funding has not kept pace" with the resources required for programs like FoodNet, according to a memo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the state of Connecticut, as reported by NBC News. Before its reduced capacity, FoodNet collected data on positive cases and tested food sources from states and labs, consolidating this information nationally. The lack of such comprehensive data means investigators are "starting in the dark" when an outbreak occurs, according to a former FoodNet employee.
The CDC maintains that it continues to collect data on cyclospora through surveillance systems other than FoodNet and is working with 3,000 health departments. HHS stated that funding for foodborne diseases has remained stable. However, in Colorado, which has reported approximately 90 cases this year similar to previous years, the state health department indicated that it has received less federal funding and has fewer staff to monitor cases. A spokesperson for the state's public health department noted that they have had to adapt to federal changes while continuing to test, monitor, and send data to the CDC.
Some experts believe that while there were initial challenges with agency changes, federal agencies responsible for food safety are largely performing to previous standards. The investigation into the current outbreak is further complicated by the likelihood of multiple contamination points within the U.S. food supply.
Additionally, significant public health events, such as the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have strained resources. The reduced capacity at the federal level places a greater burden on states to manage foodborne illnesses, though they may not possess the same level of resources previously available through federal agencies like the CDC.