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Foodborne Disease Outbreaks


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 30 to 50 outbreaks reported every year ( Foodborne Outbreaks 1986-2010) with the majority of outbreaks reported during the summer months.

2010: Thirty-seven (37) foodborne outbreaks were reported, affecting a total of 344 cases ( Foodborne Outbreaks 2010). Foodborne disease outbreaks are detected through public health surveillance and investigation of cases of notifiable conditions Salmonella, STEC) or by notification from members of the public, healthcare providers or food establishments. In 2010, 43% of reported outbreaks were detected through disease surveillance, while 57% were detected through complaint/notification systems.

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

  • Health care providers: Immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction
  • Hospitals: Immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction
  • Laboratories: No requirements for reporting FBD outbreaks; see disease-specific reporting requirements
  • Local health jurisdictions: Immediately notifiable to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Communicable Disease Epidemiology (CDE)

Last update
December 2011

Disease of Foodborne Origin Resources

General Information

Case Definition
(PDF Format)
Foodborne Outbreaks 1986-2010
(PDF Format)
Foodborne Outbreaks 2010
(PDF Format)

Foodborne Outbreak Reporting Forms

DOH Foodborne Outbreak Form
(PDF Format)
DOH Foodborne Outbreak Form, Part 2
(PDF Format)
NORS Form, CDC
PDF Format)

Public Health and Health Care

Surveillance and Reporting Guidelines
(PDF Format)
Chart of Common Agents Causing Foodborne Illness
(PDF Format)

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Washington State Department of Health
Communicable Disease Epidemiology
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Shoreline, WA 98155

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Phone (206) 418-5500

FAX (206) 418-5515

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Washington residents can contact their local health jurisdictions for assistance


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