NEW YORK, Mar 11 (Reuters Health) -- Although it may seem as if major outbreaks of food poisoning in the US are on the rise, the actual incidence of several common foodborne illnesses declined last year, according to preliminary data for 1998.
Compared with 1996 and 1997, there was a 14% decline in Salmonella-related food poisoning and a 14% decline in food poisoning due to Campylobacter, the most common bacterial foodborne pathogen in the US, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The two types of bacteria are the most common causes of food poisoning in the US.
There was also a decline in the incidence of cases of Cyclospora, a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, from 0.3 cases per 100,000 population to 0.0 following restrictions on the importation of raspberries to the US after a large outbreak was traced to the fruit.
In contrast, there was a 22% increase in rates of infection with E. coli O157, the potentially life-threatening bacteria found in undercooked meat and fresh produce.
"These new findings are encouraging and show that our intensified fight against foodborne illness is paying off," commented US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala. "However, we still have work to do."
The new data was collected as part of the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), a project that began in 1996 and covers 7 states, including about 8% of the US population, or 20.5 million people. The report is published in the March 12th issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The surveillance program identified 9,787 cases of the nine diseases surveyed in 1998. Of these, 4,031 were due to Campylobacter; 2,849 were due to Salmonella contamination; 1,483 due to Shigella contamination; 565 were due to Cryptosporidia, a parasite; 508 were due to E. coli O157; 186 were due to Yersinia; 106 were due to Listeria; 50 were due to Vibrio; and 9 to Cyclospora.
The declines identified by the 1998 data may be partially due to the normal year-to-year fluctuations in food poisoning.
"The trends also may reflect implementation of disease prevention efforts," particularly changes in meat and poultry processing, they conclude.
SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1999;48:189-194.
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