Pressure Systems edition
RFK Jr. Funding Cuts Blind CDC During Cyclospora Outbreak
July 17, 2026
What this edition shows
The Trump administration's dismantling of FoodNet surveillance has left the CDC unable to track a surging cyclospora parasite outbreak, converting a public health crisis into a fog of consumer anxiety. As salad chains face plummeting foot traffic and leafy green supply chains fracture, the systemic withdrawal of institutional expertise forces citizens to navigate biological risks through fragmented media reports and personal dread.
Reporting and analysis behind this edition 5 sources
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What is cyclospora? Diarrhoea symptoms, foods linked to US outbreak
Cyclospora cases are rising across the US. Here's what to know about symptoms, spread, treatment and prevention.
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The Explosive Diarrhea Outbreak Is About to Get Much Bigger
Official case counts likely capture only a fraction of US cyclosporiasis infections, and the outbreak is likely to get worse before it gets better.
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Salad Chains Are Seeing Foot Traffic Drop Over Cyclosporiasis Fears
Foot traffic to leafy green chains is falling, data shows. Still, a few brave souls who spoke to WIRED were determined to get their fix. “I honestly didn’t even think about” the risk of explosive diarrhea, one says.
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RFK Jr. Cut Funding For FoodNet, Making It Harder To Figure Out Why You’re Shitting Yourself Uncontrollably
Are you currently pooping yourself uncontrollably and want to know why? Well, the CDC made that slightly more difficult last year, but you might just have cyclosporiasis, the unintentional weight loss craze that is gripping parts of the country. The disease — cyclosporiasis — is a foodborne illness…
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Everyone Thinks They Have the Diarrhea Parasite
Cyclosporiasis isn’t the only thing spreading across the US. So is anxiety about getting hit with it.