E. Coli Cases on the Rise

CDC report shows cases of other foodborne illnesses holding steady or decreasing

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

Related Encyclopedia • Abscess • Actinomycosis • Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Adult) • AIDS and HIV Infection More... Related Healthscout Videos Fighting HIV Fighting a Killer Staph Infection Antibiotic Mist for Sinus Problems Best HIV Combo More... Related Drug Information • Abilify • Augmentin • Bactroban Cream • Bactroban Ointment More... Related News Articles • Injectable Antibiotic Protects Against Lyme Disease in Mice • FDA OKs New Rotavirus Vaccine • Gum Disease, HPV a Double Whammy • Male Partner Violence Hurts Women's Health Worldwide More...

THURSDAY April 12 (HealthDay News) -- A new government report on foodborne illnesses shows that the number of E. coli infections in the United States has inched upwards in the past two years.

During a Thursday teleconference on the findings, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Julie Gerberding said the recent increase in E. coli infections has been caused primarily by the contamination of fresh produce, with the most notable outbreak occurring in 2006 after spinach grown in California fields sickened 205 people and killed three.

Text Continues Below

---

In the past, E. coli infections were primarily associated with hamburger, and government and industry efforts had largely contained that particular public health threat, she explained.

"We need ongoing work to reduce the exposure of our produce to E. coli and attention from the farm to the table of the handling and processing of those food items," Gerberding said.

The data on foodborne illnesses was culled from the CDC's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, known as FoodNet.

"This system collects information from 10 states about diseases that are caused by organisms usually transmitted through food," Gerberding explained. This latest report compares data from 1996 to 1998 with data from 2006.

While no actual totals were provided, CDC officials said the data indicated that the incidence of E. coli infections has increased slightly, to 3.4 per 100,000 people in 2006, while the incidence of salmonella remained unchanged, at 6.09 per 100,000 people. The number of Vibrio infections, which are caused by eating raw shellfish, increased 78 percent between 1998 and 2006, mostly because more people are eating raw shellfish, Gerberding said. Vibrio infections are at a current rate of .34 per 100,000 people.

Although there has been little change in the number of salmonella cases, Gerberding said, "poultry continue to be contaminated with salmonella, and anytime we have improper food handling or preparation, there is a chance for exposure. This is the cause of the ongoing concern with salmonella infections."

Page:  1 | 2 | Next >>