Foodborne disease outbreaks: guidelines for investigation and control

Overview

Acute diarrhoeal illness is very common worldwide and estimated to account for 1.8 million childhood deaths annually, predominantly in developing countries (World Health Organization, 2005). The burden of diarrhoeal illness is substantial in developed countries as well (Scallan et al., 2005). Estimates of the burden of foodborne diseases are complicated by a number of factors: different definitions of acute diarrhoeal illness are used in various studies, most diarrhoeal illness is not reported to public health authorities, and few illnesses can be definitively linked to food. While not all gastroenteritis is foodborne, and not all foodborne diseases cause gastroenteritis, food does represent an important vehicle for pathogens of substantial public health significance. A number of studies are under way that aim to provide a better understanding of the global public health burden of gastroenteritis and foodborne diseases (Flint et al., 2005).