CDC Closes Essential Labs for Hepatitis and STI Testing Following Job Cuts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the closure of vital laboratories dedicated to testing for hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to recent layoffs that impacted thousands of employees. This decision has raised significant concerns regarding the country's ability to monitor and manage serious health threats, including viral hepatitis and antibiotic-resistant strains of gonorrhea.

Among those affected by the layoffs were all 27 scientists working in the only CDC lab capable of conducting advanced genetic testing essential for tracking and responding to hepatitis outbreaks. This lab had been actively investigating a multi-state outbreak at the time of the workforce reductions, leaving public health officials worried about the potential consequences.

Scott Becker, representing the Association of Public Health Laboratories, expressed alarm over the situation, stating that the reductions have severely compromised national testing capabilities that are irreplaceable within the Department of Health and Human Services. A formal letter was sent to U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging the reinstatement of the laid-off staff.

The closure of this lab coincided with the shutdown of another CDC facility focused on monitoring antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea, often referred to as "super gonorrhea." In total, the layoffs affected 2,400 employees across the CDC.

CDC laboratories have historically played a crucial role in identifying and managing outbreaks of hepatitis C, a viral infection that can lead to severe liver damage. Recent years have seen outbreaks linked to various healthcare settings, including dialysis centers and outpatient surgical facilities. The CDC had recently reported nine cases of hepatitis C in Florida connected to one such outbreak, utilizing advanced testing methodologies to determine the extent of the virus's spread.

Experts like Dr. Judith Feinberg, a specialist in infectious diseases, noted a dramatic increase in hepatitis C infections over the past two to three decades, emphasizing that the CDC lab's capabilities were vital for understanding how the virus evolves and spreads. Annually, tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed with viral hepatitis, which can be transmitted through contaminated food, shared needles, or contact with infected blood. The CDC identifies hepatitis as a leading cause of liver cancer, contributing to thousands of deaths each year.

In addition to the hepatitis lab, the CDC terminated all positions within its STI lab, which monitored infections such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea. This lab was unique in the U.S. for its ability to assess the effectiveness of antibiotics against resistant strains of gonorrhea, with experts highlighting its importance in the global context of infectious disease testing.

The latest statistics indicate that over 2 million STIs were diagnosed in 2023, with more than 600,000 cases of gonorrhea alone. The infection rates for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis have surged by 90% in the last two decades, raising alarms among public health professionals. Colleen Kelley, an Emory University medicine professor, warned that without the lab's functionality, there would be no reliable way to track the rise in infections or to issue timely alerts to the public.