Surveillance and Reporting

Did You Know?
98% of reported foodborne disease outbreaks involved only one state. Learn more …

CDC has a long history of summarizing outbreak reports from local and state health departments.

State and local public health authorities investigate all foodborne disease outbreaks. CDC coordinates those that involve multiple states; such outbreaks usually result from contaminated food that is widely distributed to many states. Data reported to CDC for each outbreak include the number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths; the pathogens, toxins, and chemical agents that caused illnesses; the implicated food; the settings of food preparation and consumption; and factors contributing to food contamination.1

Learning from Outbreaks: Outbreaks provide important data on how germs (including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals and toxins) spread, which foods cause illness, and how to prevent people from getting sick. CDC collects data about outbreaks, such as what germ was the cause, what food was implicated, number of people who became ill and their symptoms, and date and location.

Learning From Outbreaks[PDF - 1 page]

Foodborne disease outbreak surveillance and reporting provides valuable insights into the agents and foods that cause illness and the settings where contamination occurs.2

Knowing more about the foods, germs, and settings where outbreaks occur increases our understanding of its impact on human health and is the first step towards prevention.

Visit the CDC Foodborne Outbreak Tracking and Reporting website and learn more about: