Escherichia coli cases drop in 2009

By Candy Lashkari

As per a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a 12 % drop in rates of Escherichia coli (E.coli) infection has been noted in 2009 as compared to statistics for 2008. This is being seen by federal health officials as a sign that the new food safety measures are effective. Most of the pathogens under study are from the bacteria family like E.coli 0157, salmonella, campylobacter, listeria and vibrio. It was found that food poisoning rates for the most common pathogens have changed little from statistics collected in 2004.

In fact the rate of vibrio infections rose 21% in 2009. Vibrio is a pathogen found in oysters and clams. Amongst the other pathogens shigella cases declined 40% thanks to better hand sanitization procedures. Shigella bacteria are spread from person to person and traditionally day care centers are known to have high rates of infection. The simple act of washing hands can help to prevent its advent.

Salmonella contaminates any type of food, specially undercooked poultry and eggs. Handling pets and not washing hands properly is the prime reason for spread of salmonella in younger children. It can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It is caused when food comes in contact with animal or human feces. It registered a marginal decrease.

Campylobacter is the most common cause of diarrhea. CDC says that many isolated and undiagnosed cases of campylobacter go unreported. The symptoms include getting fever and cramps. It may not be fatal, but it responsible for more than 2 million sick children annually. It also saw an increase in 2009.

Listeria is more common in people who have already weak immune systems. It is 20 times more likely to get pregnant women sick. Found in pre-cooked and ready to eat foods it does not die even after refrigeration. Unlike all other bacteria which die when placed in the cold environment, listeria needs heat to kill it. However once the food cools down it may proliferate again. Fever, muscle ache and diarrhea are the symptoms caused by this pathogen. It saw an increase in 2009.

The preliminary report on food borne illnesses was released on Thursday by FoodNet, which is part of the CDC’s Emerging Infections Program. FoodNet has been tracking food borne illness trends in the US since 1966. The data collected from 10 states is thought to be reflective of the whole country.

Dr. Christopher Braden is the acting director of the CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. According to him, “Tracking these illnesses over time, as exemplified in this FoodNet report, is important to monitor our progress in food safety. We can also use similar surveillance systems to detect and investigation outbreaks of food borne illness.”