Better reporting of outbreaks of foodborne illness could speed recalls and save lives
In 2006, more than 200 people fell ill and five died after eating spinach contaminated with deadly bacteria. So, in 2007, which has seen several outbreaks at the national, state and local health agencies should have been on alert public to investigate and report outbreaks to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis of 2007 data reporting of the outbreak from non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest, the outbreak varies considerably from state to state, nine states reported 10 outbreaks of 15 per million inhabitants, but many others, reported only one . If the report says performance ‘in 2007 (the last year for which data are available) is an indication, at least 23 states need to make significant improvements in their monitoring and reporting systems, according to CSPI.The national cost of foodborne illness was estimated at a staggering $ 152 billion dollars a year, but the information about who is sick and what is the cause of these diseases is part of a monitoring system state by state, showing mixed results around the country, raising important new questions about how to improve communication to the outbreak of the state.
According to recent research from STOP – Tables safety our priority, a number of factors may explain variations in the investigation of the state.
In September 2007, 19 months, Isabelle Reinert of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, became seriously ill, with inexorable and 104 degrees. His diarrhea persists for nearly six weeks, and the mother of Amy Reinert told the Associated Press that “it was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced as a parent.” Epidemiologists who work for the state of Minnesota were finally able to identify the source of salmonella that sickened Isabelle and others this year: Turkey blocks banquets. This link between the epidemic and cakes ConAgra has led to a recall of over 3 million blocks and the new package cooking instructions, including advice that the cakes should be cooked to 165 ° C.
“The national and local health services are our first line of defense when it comes to identifying foods that cause an epidemic,” said CSPI food safety director Caroline Smith DeWaal. “But some states may not have enough investigators or money to train and equip their staff, which can result in a decrease in the quality of investigations and reports of lower rates.”
“States are systematic differences in response to reports of foodborne illness can also explain changes in interest rates,” said STOP public health specialist, Susan Vaughn Grooters. “The time difference in cases of poisoning investigation and the lack of integrated data collection can also affect how the states accurately capture data.”
The legislation passed the House of Representatives could help improve the state of relations, according to CSPI. The FDA’s food safety law modernization, now pending in the Senate would require the FDA to improve coordination among federal, state and local surveillance systems, develop a national network of laboratories and the best tools available for epidemiological states. The bill should also include the monitoring of food-borne illness with other bio-surveillance capabilities.
At the other extreme, twelve states reported an outbreak of food poisoning per million inhabitants, and 11 were reporting rates almost as low. Because there is no reason to think that these states have a low incidence of such outbreaks, CSPI is concerned that this variability in the reports reflects the inability to identify, investigate thoroughly and report outbreaks. The 23 states with the lowest rates of reports in 2007 were Delaware, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts, each with three houses per million, Missouri, New Jersey, Virginia, Alabama, West Virginia and Kentucky, each with two outbreaks per million, and Texas, North Carolina, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska, Utah, Arkansas, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Mississippi and Oklahoma, each slightly more than one outbreak per million.
