Outbreaks attributed to pork in the United States, 1998-2015

Area of Science:

• Foodborne illness epidemiology
• Public health surveillance
• Microbial food safety

Background:

• Pork consumption is linked to an estimated 525,000 infections, 2,900 hospitalizations, and 82 deaths annually in the U.S.
• Foodborne illnesses from pork pose a significant public health burden.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the epidemiology of pork-attributed foodborne outbreaks in the U.S. from 1998-2015.
• To identify trends in outbreak frequency, etiology, and associated food products.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of outbreak data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 1998 and 2015.
• Examination of outbreak frequency, number of illnesses, hospitalizations, deaths, and causative agents.
• Statistical analysis to identify trends and shifts in etiology over time.

Main Results:

• A total of 288 pork-attributed outbreaks occurred, causing 6,372 illnesses, 443 hospitalizations, and four deaths.
• Pork outbreak frequency decreased by 37% overall, but increased by 73% in 2015 compared to the prior three years.
• Salmonella became the leading etiology by 2012-2015, replacing Staphylococcus aureus toxin, and outbreaks linked to ham significantly decreased.

Conclusions:

• Despite an overall decline, recent increases in pork-related outbreaks, particularly in 2015, warrant further investigation and intervention.
• The shift in primary etiology to Salmonella indicates a need for targeted control strategies.
• Enhanced food safety practices are crucial to reduce both outbreak-related and sporadic illnesses linked to pork products.