CDC Pauses Lab Tests for Rabies, Mpox Amid Downsizing

By Elena M. Collins

NEW YORK — In a move that has caught the attention of public health experts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has temporarily halted diagnostic testing for rabies, mpox, and more than two dozen other infectious diseases. The agency posted a list this week detailing which specific laboratory services are currently unavailable. While the CDC has paused certain tests before, the scope of this interruption is unprecedented, according to Scott Becker, CEO of the Association of Public Health Laboratories. “We’ve seen pauses in the past, but never this many at once,” Becker said. “The exact reasons remain unclear.” A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, described the pause as temporary and part of “a routine review to uphold our commitment to high quality laboratory testing.” Andrew Nixon added that some tests are expected to resume through CDC labs in the coming weeks. In the meantime, he said, the agency is ready to help state and local partners obtain the testing they need. The CDC’s lab performance came under sharp criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a subsequent review by an internal work group. Becker noted that the agency has been re-evaluating its testing protocols since 2024. But staffing challenges may also be playing a role. Over the past year, the CDC has experienced a dramatic downsizing due to layoffs, retirements, resignations, and the expiration of temporary appointments. Estimates suggest the agency’s workforce has shrunk by 20% to 25%, with laboratories hit especially hard. According to the National Public Health Coalition — a group formed by former and current CDC workers after the downsizing — the poxvirus and rabies labs lost roughly half their staff. The malaria branch was reportedly gutted even more severely. Some of the paused tests target common infections for which commercial alternatives exist, such as Epstein-Barr virus and the varicella zoster virus that causes chickenpox and shingles. Others are more obscure, including testing for the parasitic worms responsible for “snail fever” and the virus that causes so-called “sloth fever.” Becker pointed out that certain state laboratories — like those in New York and California — have the capability to step in while CDC tests are on hold. Still, he expressed caution. “It’s concerning, but only if it becomes permanent,” Becker said. This report includes information from the Associated Press.