foodconsumer.org: Food poisoning cases in 2008

Food poisoning cases in 2008
================================================================================
admin on 04/09/2009 20:23:00
 
Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens
Transmitted Commonly Through Food --- 10 States, 2008
Foodborne diseases remain an important public health problem in the United
States. The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) of CDC's
Emerging Infections Program collects data from 10 U.S. states* on diseases
caused by enteric pathogens transmitted commonly through food. FoodNet is an
active, population-based surveillance system for these laboratory-confirmed
infections (1). This report describes preliminary surveillance data for 2008 and
trends since 1996. In 2008, the estimated incidence of infections caused by
Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Listeria, Shiga toxin-producing
Escherichia coli (STEC) O157, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia did not
change significantly when compared with the preceding 3 years. For most
infections, incidence was highest among children aged 50 years. None of the
Healthy People 2010 targets for reduction of foodborne pathogens (objective
10-1) (2) were reached in 2008. The lack of recent progress points to gaps in
the current food safety system and the need to continue to develop and evaluate
food safety practices as food moves from the farm to the table.
Surveillance Methods
FoodNet has conducted active, population-based surveillance for
laboratory-confirmed cases of infection caused by Campylobacter, Listeria,
Salmonella, STEC O157, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia since 1996,
Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora since 1997, and STEC non-O157 since 2000 in 10
participating states. FoodNet personnel actively contact clinical laboratories
(on a regular basis, depending on the size of the laboratory) to ascertain
laboratory-confirmed cases of infection occurring within the surveillance area
(1). In 2004, FoodNet began collecting data regarding which laboratory-confirmed
infections were associated with outbreaks of Salmonella and STEC O157. FoodNet
also conducts surveillance for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication
of STEC infection characterized by renal failure and microangiopathic hemolytic
anemia, through a network of pediatric nephrologists and infection-control
practitioners, and validates diagnoses through reviews of hospital discharge
data. Because of the time required to review hospital records, this report
contains preliminary HUS data for 2007, the most recent data available (1).
Preliminary incidence rates for 2008 were calculated by dividing the number of
laboratory-confirmed infections by U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for
2007. The FoodNet surveillance population was approximately 46 million persons
(15% of the U.S. population) in 2007. Final incidence rates will be reported
when population estimates for 2008 are available.
Surveillance Results
In 2008, a total of 18,499 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection in FoodNet
surveillance areas were identified. The number of infections and incidence per
100,000 population were reported as follows: Salmonella (7,444; 16.20),
Campylobacter (5,825; 12.68), Shigella (3,029; 6.59), Cryptosporidium (1,036;
2.25), STEC O157 (513; 1.12), STEC non-O157 (205; 0.45), Yersinia (164; 0.36),
Listeria (135; 0.29), Vibrio (131; 0.29), and Cyclospora (17; 0.04). Substantial
variation in incidence rates occurred among surveillance areas (Table 1). Among
all age groups (50 years)†, the highest incidence occurred among children aged
50 years: Listeria (86.2%), STEC O157 (53.3%), Vibrio (45.6%), Salmonella
(40.0%), Yersinia (37.5%), Shigella (27.9%), Cryptosporidium (24.5%), and
Campylobacter (20.5%). Among age groups of persons infected with the following
pathogens, the case fatality rate (CFR) was highest in persons aged >50 years:
Listeria (19.5%), Vibrio (7.4%), Salmonella (1.3%), Shigella (0.4%), and
Campylobacter (0.4%). For infection with STEC O157, the CFR was highest among
children aged