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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #215847
Title: Public Health Impact of Foodborne Illness: Impetus for an International Food Safety Effort

Author
item Wesley, Irene

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2008
Publication Date: 4/20/2009
Citation: Wesley, I.V. 2009. Public Health Impact of Foodborne Illness: Impetus for an International Food Safety Effort. In: Heredia, N., Wesley, I., Garcia, J.S., editors. Microbiologically Safe Foods. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons, Inc. p.3-11.

Interpretive Summary: Human foodborne pathogens account for an estimated 76 million cases each year in the United States. Global surveillance attempts to monitor viral, bacterial and parasitic etiologies of human illness. The introductory chapter sketches each of the major foodborne pathogens—viral, bacterial, parasitic--for the international audience. The application of genomics to address public health concerns in regulatory agencies is emphasized.

Technical Abstract: In this book, the impact of foodborne pathogens–viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoan— at the global dinner table is explored. The Introduction provides brief statistical summaries of morbidity and mortality primarily based on data for the United States. The introductory chapter sketches each of the major foodborne pathogens for the international audience. Data compiled by USDA Economic Research Service and reports filed by Healthy People 2010 are interpreted with respect to the global market place for agricultural products. The chapter references the adoption of new genomics-based technologies by the USDA-Food Safety Inspection Service.