The Trump administration is halting crucial federal research on the foodborne parasite Cyclospora, despite a record-breaking, nationwide outbreak. Two of the three USDA research programs have been defunded, and the third is losing all its scientists, who instead of relocating to Iowa, are retiring, reassigning or leaving the USDA.

According to insiders, the USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center near Washington, DC, is closing, and its Cyclospora work is moving to Iowa. Scientists working on the project, however, have no intention of moving from Maryland, leaving the facility without any parasitologists.

The US is experiencing the largest Cyclospora outbreak ever recorded, with nearly 30,000 confirmed and probable cases this summer. At least 922 people have been hospitalized, and two have died. In 2025, the US reported 1,180 cases, indicating a significant increase in the pathogen's spread.

Cyclospora is notoriously difficult to study due to its unique lifecycle. Unlike other foodborne pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella, Cyclospora can only grow and reproduce in the human gut, making lab studies challenging. Additionally, it can be intermittently shed or present in low levels, requiring multiple fecal samples for accurate diagnosis. Its complex genetic makeup and sexual reproduction also present obstacles for tracing the source of outbreaks.