Bacterial Enteric Infections Among Older Adults in the United States: Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 1996–2012

In 1997, the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Program (FoodNet) conducted active surveillance for culture-confirmed cases of Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia, Cyclospora, and Cryptosporidium in five Emerging Infections Program sites. FoodNet is a collaborative effort of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Infectious Diseases, the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and state health departments in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, and Oregon. The population under active surveillance for food-borne infections was approximately 16.1 million persons or roughly 6% of the United States Population. Through weekly or monthly contact with all clinical laboratories in these sites, 8,576 total isolations were recorded: 2,205 cases of salmonellosis, 1,273 cases of shigellosis, 468 cases of cryptosporidiosis, 340 of E. coli O157:H7 infections, 139 of yersiniosis, 77 of listeriosis, 51 of Vibrio infections, and 49 of cyclosporiasis. Results from 1997 demonstrate that while there are regional and seasonal differences in reported incidence rates of certain bacterial and parasitic diseases, and that some pathogens showed a change in incidence from 1996, the overall incidence of illness caused by pathogens under surveillance was stable. More data over more years are needed to assess if observed variations in incidence reflect yearly fluctuations or true changes in the burden of foodborne illness.

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Quinolone nonsusceptibility among enteric pathogens isolated from international travelers – Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) and National Antimicrobial Monitoring System (NARMS), 10 United States sites, 2004 – 2014

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0225800 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (12) ◽

pp. e0225800

Author(s):

Julian E. Grass ◽

Sunkyung Kim ◽

Jennifer Y. Huang ◽

Stephanie M. Morrison ◽

Andre E. McCullough ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Monitoring System ◽

Active Surveillance ◽

Enteric Pathogens ◽

Foodborne Diseases ◽

Surveillance Network

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Climate change, extreme events, and increased risk of salmonellosis: foodborne diseases active surveillance network (FoodNet), 2004-2014

Environmental Health ◽

10.1186/s12940-021-00787-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Michele E. Morgado ◽

Chengsheng Jiang ◽

Jordan Zambrana ◽

Crystal Romeo Upperman ◽

Clifford Mitchell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Active Surveillance ◽

Extreme Events ◽

Extreme Precipitation ◽

The United States ◽

Extreme Heat ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Foodborne Diseases ◽

Surveillance Network ◽

Extreme Precipitation Events ◽

Precipitation Events

Abstract Background Infections with nontyphoidal Salmonella cause an estimated 19,336 hospitalizations each year in the United States. Sources of infection can vary by state and include animal and plant-based foods, as well as environmental reservoirs. Several studies have recognized the importance of increased ambient temperature and precipitation in the spread and persistence of Salmonella in soil and food. However, the impact of extreme weather events on Salmonella infection rates among the most prevalent serovars, has not been fully evaluated across distinct U.S. regions. Methods To address this knowledge gap, we obtained Salmonella case data for S. Enteriditis, S. Typhimurium, S. Newport, and S. Javiana (2004-2014; n = 32,951) from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), and weather data from the National Climatic Data Center (1960-2014). Extreme heat and precipitation events for the study period (2004-2014) were identified using location and calendar day specific 95th percentile thresholds derived using a 30-year baseline (1960-1989). Negative binomial generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the association between exposure to extreme events and salmonellosis rates. Results We observed that extreme heat exposure was associated with increased rates of infection with S. Newport in Maryland (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR): 1.07, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.01, 1.14), and Tennessee (IRR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.09), both FoodNet sites with high densities of animal feeding operations (e.g., broiler chickens and cattle). Extreme precipitation events were also associated with increased rates of S. Javiana infections, by 22% in Connecticut (IRR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.35) and by 5% in Georgia (IRR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.08), respectively. In addition, there was an 11% (IRR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04-1.18) increased rate of S. Newport infections in Maryland associated with extreme precipitation events. Conclusions Overall, our study suggests a stronger association between extreme precipitation events, compared to extreme heat, and salmonellosis across multiple U.S. regions. In addition, the rates of infection with Salmonella serovars that persist in environmental or plant-based reservoirs, such as S. Javiana and S. Newport, appear to be of particular significance regarding increased heat and rainfall events.

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Population-Based Active Surveillance for Cyclospora Infection—United States, Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), 1997–2009

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/cis049 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 54 (suppl_5) ◽

pp. S411-S417 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Rebecca L. Hall ◽

Jeffrey L. Jones ◽

Sharon Hurd ◽

Glenda Smith ◽

Barbara E. Mahon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Active Surveillance ◽

Population Based ◽

Foodborne Diseases ◽

Surveillance Network

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A population-based estimate of the burden of diarrhoeal illness in the United States: FoodNet, 1996–7

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268801006628 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 129 (1) ◽

pp. 9-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 91

Author(s):

H. HERIKSTAD ◽

S. YANG ◽

T. J. VAN GILDER ◽

D. VUGIA ◽

J. HADLER ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Burden Of Illness ◽

Acute Diarrhoea ◽

The United States ◽

Population Based ◽

Foodborne Diseases ◽

Surveillance Network ◽

United States Today ◽

Significant Burden ◽

Significant Impairment

This study was performed to better understand and more precisely quantify the amount and burden of illness caused by acute diarrhoea in the United States today. A telephone-based population survey was conducted between 1 July, 1996, and 31 June, 1997, in sites of the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). The overall prevalence of acute diarrhoea in the 4 weeks before interview was 11%, giving a rate of 1.4 episodes of diarrhoea per person per year. The rate of diarrhoeal illness defined as a diarrhoeal episode lasting longer than 1 day or which resulted in significant impairment of daily activities was 0.7 per person per year. It can be concluded that acute diarrhoea is common and represents a significant burden of illness in the United States. Our data on self-reported diarrhoea, when generalized to the entire nation, suggests 375 million episodes of acute diarrhoea each year in the United States. Many of these episodes are mild. However, our data also indicate that there are approximately 200 million episodes of diarrhoeal illness each year in the United States.

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Characteristics of Campylobacter and Salmonella Infections and Acute Gastroenteritis in Older Adults in Australia, Canada, and the United States

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciy1142 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 69 (9) ◽

pp. 1545-1552 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Alice E White ◽

Nadia Ciampa ◽

Yingxi Chen ◽

Martyn Kirk ◽

Andrea Nesbitt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Acute Gastroenteritis ◽

Age Groups ◽

Signs And Symptoms ◽

The United States ◽

Bloody Diarrhea ◽

Severe Illness ◽

Salmonella Infections ◽

Enteric Infections

Abstract Background The early detection of enteric infections in older adults is challenging because typical signs and symptoms of disease may be less common, absent, or overlooked. Understanding illness characteristics of enteric infections among older adults could improve the timeliness and accuracy of clinical diagnoses, thereby improving patient outcomes and increasing cases reported to surveillance. Methods Here, we describe illness characteristics (percentage reporting bloody diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal pain; percentage hospitalized; duration of hospitalization; and duration of illness) among older adults (≥65 years) with acute gastroenteritis and culture-confirmed Campylobacter and nontyphoidal Salmonella infections in Australia, Canada, and the United States and compare these characteristics with those among younger people (<5 years, 5–24 years, and 25–64 years). Results A significant negative correlation was found between all symptoms and increasing age group, except for bloody diarrhea in cases of acute gastroenteritis. Adults aged ≥85 years reported bloody diarrhea in only 9% of nontyphoidal Salmonella and 4% of Campylobacter infections compared with 59% and 55% among children aged <5 years. Conversely, a greater percentage of older adults (≥65) than younger persons (<5, 5–24, 25–64) reported being hospitalized, with an increasing linear relationship in age groups 65 years and older. Conclusions Although older adults are more likely to have severe illness and be hospitalized, we found that the proportion of persons reporting symptoms typically associated with enteric infections decreases with age. These findings have implications for clinical recognition and treatment of gastrointestinal illness, as well as for public health research.

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