A summary of national reports of foodborne outbreaks of Salmonella Heidelberg infections in the United States: clues for disease prevention.
We analyzed national foodborne outbreak data from 1973 through 2001 to determine the proportion of Salmonella Heidelberg outbreaks caused by specific foods. Among 6633 outbreaks with known etiology, 184 (3%) were caused by Salmonella Heidelberg. A vehicle was identified in 101 outbreaks; at least 53 were poultry or egg-related. Three outbreaks were attributed to egg consumption, 17 to consumption of egg-containing foods, 25 to poultry, and 8 to foods containing poultry and eggs. Efforts to reduce illness due to Salmonella Heidelberg shouldensure that poultry and eggs are handled appropriately to minimize contamination and cross contamination.
Chittick
Paul
P
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Sulka
Alana
A
Tauxe
Robert V
RV
Fry
Alicia M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004531:Eggs / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011200:Poultry; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology