CDC Pauses Key Infectious Disease Testing

ATLANTA, Ga. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has paused more than two dozen infectious-disease diagnostic tests, including rabies and poxvirus assays, while federal officials conduct what they describe as a temporary quality review, according to CDC, Associated Press, CBS News, The Guardian, Healio, and FOX 5 Atlanta. Each of the bullet points immediately below have been confirmed by at least four of the six respected sources we curated on this story.

• CDC published a testing-directory update showing more than two dozen infectious-disease lab services currently unavailable because they are paused or discontinued.
• The affected menu includes major reference diagnostics such as rabies and poxvirus testing that many state and local health departments rely on CDC to support.
• HHS described the move as a temporary quality-review action and said some CDC tests are expected to return in the coming weeks.
• Federal officials said CDC will help state and local partners route samples through alternative laboratories while internal testing services are paused.
• The interruption follows substantial CDC staffing losses over the past year, including reported laboratory reductions across key infectious-disease units.

Additional Details Reported

Scope of the paused test menu

The CDC test directory lists pauses or discontinuations across fungal, parasitic, viral and bacterial assays, including entries tied to Epstein-Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus, poxvirus, and Oropouche-virus-related testing. Several entries state that commercial or AR Lab Network alternatives may still be available.

Coverage from AP and CBS News said some specialized state labs, including in New York and California, may be able to absorb part of the diagnostic workload.

Why experts say this matters

Healio quoted University of Florida infectious-disease expert J. Glenn Morris Jr. warning that reduced national reference capacity can delay identification of unusual pathogens and hinder response during fast-moving outbreaks.

The Guardian and AP both tied the pause to broader turmoil in CDC staffing and operations, while emphasizing that the agency says the pause is temporary and under active review.

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