Food-Borne Illnesses Decline

March 17, 2000

Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention show another year of decline in the incidence of several major causes of food-borne disease in the United States. From 1997-99, illnesses from the most common pathogens declined nearly 20%.

The decline represents at least 855,000 fewer Americans each year suffering from food-borne illness caused by bacteria since 1997, according to the Department of Health and Human Services which released the data. The data come from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) and are published in the March 17 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

FoodNet is a joint effort by HHS, state health departments and USDA to capture a more accurate and complete picture of trends in food-borne illnesses. The network involves the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration.

Between 1998 and 1999, there were 25% fewer E.coli infections, 41% fewer shigella infections and 19% fewer campylobacter illnesses, the most common bacterial pathogen in the country.,

The data show also that salmonella enteritidis, a pathogen often associated with egg consumption that has been a major food safety problem since the 1980s, declined 7% from 1998 to 1999. However, several large outbreaks of salmonellosis were traced to unpasteurized orange juice, imported mangos and raw sprouts. The FDA is working on juice regulations, import sampling and detentions and production guidance of raw sprouts.

FDA also has increased sampling and detention of imported produce to reduce shigella infections, issued guidance on good agricultural practices and supported educational outreach programs in foreign countries.