Burden of Foodborne Illness: Findings

These estimates provide the most accurate estimates yet of which known foodborne bacteria, viruses, microbes (“pathogens”) are causing the most illnesses in the United States, and how many foodborne illnesses are caused by unspecified agents. The estimates also show that much work remains to be done—specifically in focusing efforts on the top known pathogens and identifying the additional causes of foodborne illness and death.

CDC provides estimates for two major groups of foodborne illnesses

Known foodborne pathogens — 31 pathogens known to cause foodborne illness. Many of these pathogens are tracked by public health systems that track diseases and outbreaks. Read the report >

Unspecified agents — Agents with insufficient data to estimate agent-specific burden; known agents not yet identified as causing foodborne illness; microbes, chemicals, or other substances known to be in food whose ability to cause illness is unproven; and agents not yet identified. Because you can’t “track” what isn’t yet identified, estimates for this group of agents started with the health effects or symptoms that they are most likely to cause, such as acute gastroenteritis. Read the report >

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Total number of foodborne illnesses each year

CDC estimated the number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by both known and unspecified agents. CDC estimated what proportion of each were foodborne. The first table below provides estimates for domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, and the second table provides estimates for domestically acquired illnesses caused by all transmission routes.

Estimated annual number of domestically acquired, foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents transmitted through food, United States

Foodborne agents	Estimated annual number of illnesses		Estimated annual number of hospitalizations		Estimated annual number of deaths
	Number (90% credible interval)	%	Number (90% credible interval)	%	Number (90% credible interval)	%
31 known pathogens	9.4 million (6.6–12.7 million)	20	55,961 (39,534–75,741)	44	1,351 (712–2,268)	44
Unspecified agents	38.4 million (19.8–61.2 million)	80	71,878 (9,924–157,340)	56	1,686 (369–3,338)	56
Total	47.8 million (28.7–71.1 million)	100	127,839 (62,529–215,562)	100	3,037 (1,492–4,983)	100

Estimated annual number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents, United States

Foodborne agents	Estimated annual number of illnesses		Estimated annual number of hospitalizations		Estimated annual number of deaths
	Number (90% credible interval)	%	Number (90% credible interval)	%	Number (90% credible interval)	%
31 known pathogens	37.2 million (28.4–47.6 million)	21	228,744 (188,326–275,601)	47	2,612 (1,723–3,819)	42
Unspecified agents	141.8 million	79	258,033	53	3,574	58
Total	179 million	100	486,777	100	6,186	100

 

Pathogens causing the most foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths each year

Eight known pathogens are estimated to account for the vast majority of domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. The tables below list the top five pathogens causing foodborne illness, hospitalization, and death.

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses

Pathogen	Estimated number of illnesses	90% credible interval	%
Norovirus	5,461,731	3,227,078–8,309,480	58
Salmonella, nontyphoidal	1,027,561	644,786–1,679,667	11
Clostridium perfringens	965,958	192,316–2,483,309	10
Campylobacter spp.	845,024	337,031–1,611,083	9
Staphylococcus aureus	241,148	72,341–529,417	3
Subtotal			91

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Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in hospitalization

Pathogen	Estimated number of hospitalizations	90% credible interval	%
Salmonella, nontyphoidal	19,336	8,545–37,490	35
Norovirus	14,663	8,097–23,323	26
Campylobacter spp.	8,463	4,300–15,227	15
Toxoplasma gondii	4,428	3,060–7,146	8
E.coli (STEC) O157	2,138	549–4,614	4
Subtotal			88

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in death

Pathogen	Estimated number of deaths	90% credible interval	%
Salmonella, nontyphoidal	378	0–1,011	28
Toxoplasma gondii	327	200–482	24
Listeria monocytogenes	255	0–733	19
Norovirus	149	84–237	11
Campylobacter spp.	76	0–332	6
Subtotal			88