Foodborne Illness Overview

The national Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that foodborne illness causes more than 5000 deaths annually in the United States. (read the study) Although relatively few incidences are reported to the CDC, foodborne illnesses have been shown to be underreported by up to 38 times reported figures. Children, the elderly, and the immune impaired, including pregnant women, are the most vulnerable to foodborne illness. Therefore, these groups should be particularly careful about what foods they eat.

More than 200 known pathogens contribute to foodborne illnesses, including bacterium, viruses, and parasites. Among the most important are:

· Botulism and Infantile Botulism are two outcomes associated with Clostridium botulinum. In children and adults illness is caused when C. botulinum spores present in food produce toxins within the food. Infants can be sickened by ingesting the spores themselves. In adults Botulism can result in paralysis leading to respiratory arrest. Symptoms in adults occur within 12-36 hours and sometimes days, following ingestion. Infantile botulism produces symptoms such as constipation, weakness, and loss of head control. Infantile botulism is most commonly associated with honey, so the CDC recommends that children under the age of 1 not be fed honey.
· Campylobacter jejuni is a bacteria particularly common in birds and poultry, including chicken and turkey. Symptoms in adults occur usually within 2-5 days of ingestion with a range of 1 to 10 days. C. jejuni is the most common known foodborne disease in the United States. It is rarely fatal but is linked to a number of long term complications including Guillain-Barre syndrome, a severe neurological disorder that is the leading cause of sudden acute paralysis in the U.S.
· Cryptosporidium is a parasite that causes frequent watery diarrhea and can be fatal if extreme dehydration occurs. Known reservoirs include water and produce.
· Cyclospora is another parasite. Infection results in prolonged diarrheal illness measured in weeks. Severe weight loss is a resulting complication.
· E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogenic strains of E. coli. E. coli O157:H7 is a bacteria found in the intestines of healthy cattle, deer, sheep and possibly other ruminants. Infected children can quickly develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), resulting in the loss of kidney function, strokes, heart attack, coma, paralysis or death from organ liquefaction. The elderly and immune impaired are particularly at risk of similar complications from a condition known as Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP), which is chronic and relapsing and reputed to have a mortality rate of 75%. Because it takes as few as 1 to 10 organisms to cause life-threatening illness, the organism causes very high rates of infection in group settings. Other pathogenic E. coli may cause similar symptoms and complications.
· Giardia is a protozoa that is more common to fresh bodies of water. Infected people can be asymptomatic.
· Hepatitis A is a virus that attacks the liver. It is commonly transferred via human fecal contamination, meaning that food can become contaminated when unhygenic practices. A Hepatitis A illness can last up to 6 months and can result in lasting injury.
· Listeria is a bacteria particularly dangerous to pregnant women, their fetuses and newborns. Infected people can be asymptomatic. The CDC has produced two separate brochures warning of the potential hazards of Listeria.
· Salmonella is commonly found in poultry but has been associated with the feces of many animals including cattle and pigs. It can be harbored in the ovaries of chickens, thus causing their eggs to carry the bacteria internally. Due to fecal contamination it has become associated as well with raw produce such as alfalfa sprouts. While antibiotic resistant strains of Salmonella are on the rise, many cases can be treated. However, this disease can prove to be deadly, particularly to the elderly, and dangerous antibiotic resistant strains are becoming increasingly prevalent.
· Shigella is a highly infectious bacterium known to produce a shiga toxin that can lead to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. A prevalent reservoir is human feces.
· Vibrio vulnificus is an unusually deadly disease associated with a commonly occurring bacteria that infects shellfish. When contaminated shellfish such as oysters are consumed raw, they can cause a rapid decline in at-risk individuals, including people with liver disease, either from excessive alcohol intake, viral hepatitis or other causes; hemochromatosis, an iron disorder; diabetes; stomach problems, including previous stomach surgery and low stomach acid (for example, from antacid use); cancer; immune disorders, including HIV infection; and long-term steroid use (as for asthma and arthritis). If you have consumed raw or undercooked shellfish and develop symptoms of V. vulnificus poisoning, seek medical attention immediately.

The majority of foodborne pathogens are unknown, and finding the source of a specific illness can be elusive. New and virulent bacteria and pathogens are constantly emerging, showing antibiotic resistance, and becoming recognized, and as they do the treatments and tracking of foodborne disease changes.

For a more exhaustive list of foodborne illnesses and pathogenic microorganisms visit the FDA's Bad Bug Book.

Safe Tables Our Priority 
P.O. Box 4352 
Burlington, VT 05406

Media & Business (802) 863-0555 
Victims & Victims' Families (800) 350-S.T.O.P. 
 
Send e-mail to: