Changing eating habits, population growth and movements, global trade of foodstuff, changes in food production systems, climate change, increased awareness and better diagnostic tools are some of the main drivers affecting the emergence or re-emergence of many foodborne parasitic diseases in recent years. In particular, the increasing demand for exotic and raw food is one of the reasons why rep...

In Australia circa 2010, 4.1 million (90% credible interval [CrI] 2.3-6.4 million) episodes of foodborne gastroenteritis occurred, many of which might have resulted in sequelae. We estimated the number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths from Guillain-Barré syndrome, hemolytic uremic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and reactive arthritis that were associated with contaminated food in...

Foodborne disease is a major public health problem worldwide. To examine changes in foodborne illness in Australia, we estimated the incidence, hospitalizations, and deaths attributed to contaminated food circa 2010 and recalculated estimates from circa 2000. Approximately 25% of gastroenteritis cases were caused by contaminated food; to account for uncertainty we used simulation techniques to ...

Outbreak data and case–control studies have linked some serotypes to certain foods or exposures. Information obtained during outbreak investigation is a key tool in understanding which foods are common sources of pathogens contributing to foodborne infections. During outbreak investigations, illnesses can be linked to a particular food by using epidemiologic or laboratory evidence. We analyzed ...

Foodborne agents cause an estimated 76 million illnesses annually in the United States. Outbreak surveillance provides insights into the causes of foodborne illness, types of implicated foods, and settings of foodborne infections that can be used in food safety strategies to prevent and control foodborne disease. CDC collects data on foodborne disease outbreaks submitted from all states and ter...

In 2006, OzFoodNet sites reported 24,598 notifications of seven diseases or conditions that are commonly transmitted by food, representing an increase of 2.5% over the mean of the previous 5 years. The most frequently notified aetiological agents were Campylobacter (15,492 notifications) and Salmonella (8,331 notifications). Salmonella notifications increased in 2006 by 5.2% when compared to hi...

Because secondary transmission masks the connection between sources and outbreaks, estimating the proportion of foodborne norovirus infections is difficult. We studied whether norovirus genotype frequency distributions (genotype profiles) can enhance detection of the sources of foodborne outbreaks. Control measures differ substantially; therefore, differentiating this transmission mode from per...

Although foodborne illness is preventable, more than 56,000 people per year become ill in the U.S., creating high economic costs, loss of productivity and reduced quality of life for many. Experts agree that the home is the primary location where foodborne outbreaks occur; however, many consumers do not believe the home to be a risky place. Health care professionals need to be aware of consumer...

Viruses cause many diseases in plants, animals, and humans. They are strict intracellular parasites with cellular specificity. Viral particles can be transmitted by different routes, such as contaminated food and water. People usually get infected orally, after ingestion of products contaminated during processing or subsequent handling or preparation. This review article is focused on the most ...