FoodNet 2015 Preliminary Data

Read the Report

Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food, and the Effect of Increasing Use of Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests on Surveillance—Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 10 U.S. Sites, 2012–2015

Documenting trends in foodborne illness—which illnesses are decreasing and which are increasing—is essential to the overall goal of reducing foodborne illness. Each year, FoodNet reports on the changes in the number of people in the United States sickened with foodborne infections from these pathogens that have been confirmed by laboratory tests. This “report card” also lets CDC, our partners, and policy makers know how much progress has been made in reducing foodborne illness.

This year’s report summarizes 2015 preliminary surveillance data and describes trends since 2012 for infections monitored by FoodNet—Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 and non-O157, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia—and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

Key Findings

Tables %26 Figures

More
In 2015, FoodNet received reports of 20,107 confirmed cases, 4,531 hospitalizations, and 77 deaths. FoodNet also received reports of 3,112 positive culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) without culture-confirmation – a rate more than double that of 2012–2014.
Compared with 2012–2014, the incidence of Cryptosporidium and non-O157 STEC infections was higher in 2015. These increases were likely driven by increases in diagnostic testing.
Recent changes in diagnostic practices challenge our ability to find outbreaks and monitor disease trends. Some information about the bacteria causing infections, such as subtype and antimicrobial susceptibility, can only be obtained if a CIDT‐positive specimen is also cultured. Increasing use of CIDTs affects the interpretation of public health surveillance data and our ability to monitor progress toward achieving prevention goals.
The most frequent causes of infection were Salmonella and Campylobacter, a finding that is consistent with previous years. Although Salmonella infections overall have shown little change since 2012-2014, infection with Salmonella serotype Typhimurium has decreased 15%.

Top of Page

Questions & Answers about the Report

FoodNet provides a foundation of information needed to guide food safety policies and prevention efforts. FoodNet’s surveillance data, such as those in this report, tell us where efforts are needed to reduce foodborne illnesses. FoodNet has been counting cases and tracking trends—which illnesses are decreasing and which are increasing—for infections transmitted commonly through food since 1996. Learn more >

CDC uses the best scientific methods and information available to monitor, investigate, control, and prevent foodborne illness. Using the tools of epidemiology and laboratory science, CDC proprovides scientific assessment of public health threats. CDC works closely with state health departments to monitor the frequency of specific diseases and conducts national surveillance for the diseases it monitors.

When food safety threats appear, CDC collaborates with public health partners, including state health departments, FDA, and USDA, to conduct epidemiologic and laboratory investigations to determine the causes of these threats and how they can be controlled. Although CDC does not regulate the safety of food, CDC works with regulatory agencies to inform food safety policies and assesses the effectiveness of current prevention efforts. CDC provides independent scientific assessment of what the problems are, how they can be controlled, and where gaps exist in our knowledge. You can find more information on foodborne illness and CDC’s prevention activities at CDC’s Food Safety website.

Government regulation related to food safety is the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), the National Marine Fisheries Service, and other regulatory agencies. CDC maintains regular contact with these regulatory agencies.

Regulatory agencies develop and implement measures to make food safer. Some recent measures by regulatory agencies and industry include:

USDA-FSIS: Tighter standards for preventing Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination on ground chicken and turkey products, as well as raw chicken parts such as legs, wings, and breasts.
FDA: New regulations to improve the safety of produce, processed foods, and imported foods.
Chicken industry: Steps to decrease chicken contamination, including vaccinating chicken flocks against Salmonella.

More Information

Foodborne Illness & CIDTs

Outbreak Detection & CIDTs

2015 FOOD SAFETY REPORT

Suggested citation: Huang JY, Henao OL, Griffin PM, Vugia DJ, Cronquist AB, Hurd S, Tobin-D’Angelo M, Ryan P, Smith K, Lathrop S, Zansky S, Cieslak PR, Dunn J, Holt KG, Wolpert B, Patrick ME; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food and the Effect of Increasing Use of Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests on Surveillance — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 10 U.S. Sites, 2012–2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 April 15:65:368-371

Top of Page