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Some progress made in reducing foodborne infections, but more work needed
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The incidence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 infections declined to the lowest level in five years last year, but the rates of other foodborne illnesses remained flat, according to a study published online today.
CDC officials reported on the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) for the Healthy People 2010 program. The researchers discussed four target pathogens: Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli; data also were collected for Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia infections.
There were 17,468 laboratory-confirmed cases of foodborne infection reported in 2009. The 2009 target for E. coli infections was 1.0 cases per 100,000 population. There were 264 infections and a rate 0.57 per 100,000 for non-O157 types; there were 459 infections and a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 for O157 types, which means that health officials met the 2010 Healthy People target for this illness.
However, health officials fell short of Healthy People goals for many of the other foodborne infections. Number of infections and incidence per 100,000 population data for other pathogens were as follows:
- Campylobacter (6,033; 13.02).
- Listeria (158; 0.34).
- Salmonella (7,039; 15.19).
- Cryptosporidium (1,325; 2.86).
- Cyclospora (31; 0.07).
- Shigella (1,849; 3.99).
- Vibrio (160; 0.35).
- Yersinia (150; 0.32).
Incidence rates for O157 and non-O157 E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Cryptosporidium and Yersinia infections were highest among children aged younger than 4 years. Listeria, Vibrio and Cyclospora infections were highest among adults aged older than 50 years.
Foodborne-related hospitalization rates ranged from 12.9% for Cyclospora infections to 89.2% for Listeria infections, according to the results.
Infection rates for Campylobacter (30% decrease, 95% CI, 24%–35%), Listeria (26% decrease, 95% CI, 8%–40%), Salmonella (10% decrease 95% CI, 3%–16%) Shigella (55% decrease, 95% CI, 37%–68%), Yersinia (53% decrease, 95% CI, 41%–63%), E. coli O157 (41% decrease, CI = 27%–52%) were lower in 2009 than they were in 1996-1998, which were the first three years that CDC officials tracked foodborne data for these illnesses.
Vibrio infections increased by 85% between 1996-1998 and 2009 (95% CI, 36%–150%), whereas incidence of Cryptosporidium did not change significantly, CDC officials wrote.
“Today’s report confirms our past success combating foodborne illness by setting an aggressive goal, designing an effective system to meet that goal and relentlessly implementing it; it’s time to do it again,” David Goldman, MD, MPH, assistant administrator in the Office of Public Health Science of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, said in a press release.