09.09.2011

CDC

Foodborne agents cause an estimated 48 million illnesses annually in the United States, including 9.4 million illnesses from known pathogens. CDC collects data on foodborne disease outbreaks submitted from all states and territories through the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System. During 2008, the most recent year for which data are finalized, 1,034 foodborne disease outbreaks were reported, which resulted in 23,152 cases of illness, 1,276 hospitalizations, and 22 deaths. Among the 479 outbreaks with a laboratory-confirmed single etiologic agent reported, norovirus was the most common, accounting for 49% of outbreaks and 46% of illnesses. Salmonella was the second most common, accounting for 23% of outbreaks and 31% of illnesses.
Of the total number of outbreak-related foodborne illnesses, 1,276 (6%) resulted in hospitalization. Salmonella was the most common cause of outbreak-related hospitalizations, causing 62% of hospitalizations reported, followed by Shiga toxin--producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (17%) and norovirus (7%).