The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has suspended diagnostic testing for rabies, mpox, and more than two dozen other infectious diseases this week, marking the most extensive testing pause in the agency’s history amid ongoing staffing cuts that have reduced the workforce by up to 25 percent.

Unprecedented Scale of Testing Suspension

The CDC posted a list this week identifying over two dozen types of diagnostic tests that have become unavailable to state and local health departments. While the agency has temporarily paused lab testing in the past, the current suspension represents the largest number of tests ever taken offline simultaneously. Scott Becker, chief executive officer of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, confirmed the agency has been evaluating its testing procedures since 2024, though the exact reasons for this extensive pause remain unclear.

Andrew Nixon, spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, characterized the suspension as temporary and part of a routine review to maintain high-quality laboratory testing standards. The department stated it anticipates some tests will resume in the coming weeks and pledged support for state and local partners needing public health testing access. The move follows criticism of CDC laboratory operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted a subsequent work group review of agency procedures.

Staffing Crisis Hits Critical Laboratory Functions

The testing pause comes after dramatic workforce reductions at the CDC over the past year through layoffs, retirements, resignations, and non-renewed temporary appointments. Staffing levels dropped between 20 and 25 percent across the agency, with laboratory divisions experiencing particularly severe losses. The pox virus and rabies laboratories lost approximately half their staff, while the malaria branch suffered even steeper cuts, according to the National Public Health Coalition, an organization of former and current CDC workers formed following the downsizing.

States Step In During Federal Gap

Several specialized state laboratories possess the capability to compensate for the suspended CDC testing services. Facilities in New York and California can perform many of the diagnostic tests currently unavailable through federal channels. Becker noted the situation becomes concerning only if the pause becomes permanent rather than temporary. The CDC’s laboratory testing services have historically provided critical backup support for state and local health departments, particularly for rare or specialized diagnostic needs that smaller facilities cannot handle independently. The agency’s ability to restore full testing capacity will depend largely on resolving underlying staffing shortages.