- A nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne illness causing severe gastrointestinal symptoms, is believed to have affected thousands across more than two dozen states.
- The full extent of the outbreak is unclear due to the federal government's decision last summer to remove the cyclospora parasite from the CDC's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet).
- This reduction in monitoring, attributed to federal budget cuts, has led to significantly lower official case counts compared to state-reported figures, with Michigan alone reporting nearly four times the CDC's national tally.
- Food safety experts had warned that scaling back FoodNet would hinder the ability to track and respond to foodborne illnesses, a concern now amplified by the current outbreak.
- State and federal officials are investigating a potential link between the outbreak and the fast-food chain Taco Bell, with some locations in Michigan warning customers about a recall of lettuce and other ingredients.
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