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Cause:
Many infectious agents including viruses, bacteria, and
parasites. Common agents causing outbreaks are E. coli
O157:H7, Salmonella, and viral agents.
Illness and treatment:
Symptoms and treatment vary with the agent.
Sources:
Sources vary with the agent.
Foodborne outbreaks can occur from inherently toxic or
contaminated ingredients, cross contamination between raw
animal products and ready to eat foods, contamination by a
food handler, temperature abuse after cooking resulting in
microbial growth, and improper cooking.
Additional risks:
Risks vary with the agent.
Prevention:
Safe food handling from farm
to table is essential to prevent foodborne illness: avoid
contamination at the source, destroy pathogens by proper
cooking, and prevent bacterial growth by temperature control
methods. Provide education programs for food handlers on
proper sanitation, cooking and handling practices. Prevent
future cases with prompt investigation of foodborne illness
complaints, with laboratory evaluation of illness agents and
implicated foods. System wide improvements are needed to
trace contaminated foods back to a source.
Recent Washington trends:
Foodborne
outbreaks may be difficult to detect unless a defined group
or related persons are affected. There are typically 40 to
60 outbreaks reported annually, each with 2 to dozens or
even hundreds of cases in each outbreak (Table 1).
2008:
46 foodborne outbreaks were reported, affecting a total of
564 cases (Table 2). A Clostridium perfringens
outbreak at a catered event involved 24 cases. 43 cases of
E. coli O157:H7 were associated with guacamole. A
Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak associated with
restaurant meals involved 82 cases. Viral agents accounted
for 19 outbreaks (41% of total) and 272 cases (48% of
total), including a restaurant outbreak with 69 cases.
Washington had 10 Salmonella Litchfield (from
canteloupe), 18 Salmonella Saintpaul (from produce)
and 17 Salmonella Typhimurium (from alfalfa sprouts)
cases related to national outbreaks.
Purpose of Reporting and
Surveillance
- To prevent transmission
from infected persons.
- To correct
food-preparation practices that permit contamination
with foodborne disease (FBD) agents.
- To quickly remove from
the commercial market a food product contaminated with a
FBD pathogen and limit the spread of an outbreak.
- To expand current
understanding of the transmission, pathogenesis and
community impact of illness caused by known FBD
pathogens.
- To identify new FBD
agents, hazards, or gaps in the food safety system.
Legal Reporting Requirements
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Health care providers: Immediately
notifiable to local health jurisdiction
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Hospitals: Immediately
notifiable to local health jurisdiction
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Laboratories: No
requirements for reporting FBD outbreaks; see
disease-specific reporting requirements
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Local health
jurisdictions: Immediately notifiable to
the Washington State
Department of Health (DOH) Communicable Disease
Epidemiology Section (CDES)
Last
update
November 2009 |
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