title: Economic Cost of a Listeria monocytogenes Outbreak in Canada, 2008.
abstract: Estimates of the economic costs associated with foodborne disease are important to inform public health decision-making. In 2008, 57 cases of listeriosis and 24 deaths in Canada were linked to contaminated delicatessen meat from one meat processing plant. Costs associated with the cases (including medical costs, nonmedical costs, and productivity losses) and those incurred by the implicated plant and federal agencies responding to the outbreak were estimated to be nearly $242 million Canadian dollars (CAD, 2008). Case costs alone were estimated at approximately $2.8 million (CAD, 2008) including loss of life. This demonstrates the considerable economic burden at both the individual and population levels associated with foodborne disease and foodborne outbreaks in particular. Foodborne outbreaks due to severe pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes and those that result in product recalls, are typically the most costly from the individual and/or societal perspective. Additional economic estimates of foodborne disease would contribute to our understanding of the burden of foodborne disease in Canada and would support the need for ongoing prevention and control activities.
authors.affiliation: 1 Public Health Agency of Canada , Guelph, Ontario, Canada .
authors.forename: M Kate
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: 1 Public Health Agency of Canada , Guelph, Ontario, Canada .
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vriezen
authors.affiliation: 2 Health Canada , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada .
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Farber
authors.affiliation: 1 Public Health Agency of Canada , Guelph, Ontario, Canada .
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.affiliation: 3 Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada .
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schlech
authors.affiliation: 1 Public Health Agency of Canada , Guelph, Ontario, Canada .
authors.forename: Aamir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fazil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000191:economics*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged