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           May 9, 2008
April 21, 2008
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Foodborne diseases take heavy toll on public healthFoodborne diseases are a widespread and growing public health problem in both developed and developing countries. The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate, but the World Health Organization reported that in 2000, 2.1 million people died from diarrheal diseases. Most of the deaths were attributed to contamination of food and drinking water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that foodborne infectious diseases cause a staggering 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year . Health Canada estimates that the annual costs related to foodborne illnesses and deaths exceed $1 billion. Many cases of foodborne illness go unreported because their symptoms often resemble the stomach flu. The most common symptoms of foodborne illness include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. In addition to traditional pathogens such as salmonella and campylobacter, more recent foodborne bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes are spreading rapidly worldwide. Many of the pathogens of greatest concern today were not recognized as causes of foodborne illness just 20 years ago. The deadly O157:H7 strain of E. coli can be spread by animals through food, water or person-to-person. As few as 10 E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in an undercooked patty of ground beef can spark a serious infection. Major E. coli outbreaks, frequently associated with contaminated beef products, have been reported in Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States and various European countries. The CDC estimates that 73,000 cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection and over 60 deaths occur in the United States annually. Although most individuals recover, foodborne illnesses can result in chronic problems in two to three percent of cases . Illnesses such as chronic arthritis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) leading to kidney failure, have long-term consequences for the individuals affected and for society and the economy as a whole. As the population grows older, the risks from foodborne infectious diseases will increase. The people most at risk are those with compromised immune systems, as well as the elderly, young children and pregnant women. Recent reports in Canada and the United States of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or "mad cow disease," provide further evidence that animals have become a primary source of diseases affecting humans. However, BSE is not a contagious disease that infects cattle or humans naturally. It is a chronic, degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of cattle. The infectious agent is introduced when BSE-infected tissue or tissue products are added to the feed provided to cattle. The human form of BSE is called variant or vCrettzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Approximately 135 people worldwide have been infected with variant CJD, apparently by eating food products from BSE-infected cattle. ###
Sources: 1. World Health Organization, Fact Sheet #237, January 2002 2,5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3 Health Canada, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca 4 Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education http://www.canfightbac.org 6 Journal of National Environmental Health Sciences 7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Infectious Diseases 8 United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service 9,10 United States Department of Agriculture |
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