Foodborne Illness Outbreaks at Retail Food Establishments - National Environmental Assessment Reporting System, 25 State and Local Health Departments, 2017-2019

This report summarizes environmental health data collected during outbreak investigations and reported to the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS).PERIOD COVERED: 2017-2019.DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: In 2014, CDC launched NEARS to complement NORS surveillance and to use these data to enhance prevention efforts. State and local health departments voluntarily enter data from their foodborne illness outbreak investigations of retail food establishments into NEARS. These data include characteristics of foodborne illness outbreaks (e.g., etiologic agent and factors contributing to the outbreak), characteristics of establishments with outbreaks (e.g., number of meals served daily), and food safety policies in these establishments (e.g., ill worker policy requirements). NEARS is the only available data source that collects environmental characteristics of retail establishments with foodborne illness outbreaks.RESULTS: During 2017-2019, a total of 800 foodborne illness outbreaks associated with 875 retail food establishments were reported to NEARS by 25 state and local health departments. Among outbreaks with a confirmed or suspected agent (555 of 800 [69.4%]), the most common pathogens were norovirus and Salmonella, accounting for 47.0% and 18.6% of outbreaks, respectively. Contributing factors were identified in 62.5% of outbreaks. Approximately 40% of outbreaks with identified contributing factors had at least one reported factor associated with food contaminatio...
Source: MMWR Surveill Summ - Category: Epidemiology Authors: Source Type: research