Each year in the United States, approximately 76 million people get food poisoning.1 It causes an estimated 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,200 deaths each year.2 The most commonly recognized cases of food poisoning are campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, E. coli O157: H7 infection, and noroviruses.3
Botulism is rare in the U.S., although the chance of death is high if it is not treated immediately and properly. There are generally 10 to 30 outbreaks per year in the U.S.4
References
Citations
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2004). Preliminary FoodNet data on the incidence of infection with pathogens transmitted commonly through food—Selected sites, United States, 2003. MMWR, 53(16): 338–343. Also available online: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5316a2.htm.
Mead PS, et al. (1999). Food-related illness and death in the United States. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 5(5): 607–625.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). Foodborne Illness. Available online: http://www.cdc.gov//ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodborneinfections_g.htm.
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2003). Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook. Available online: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/intro.html.
Credits
| Author | Bets Davis, MFA |
| Editor | Maria Essig |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Associate Editor | Terrina Vail |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease |
| Last Updated | February 23, 2009 |
