The United States health authorities announced the tracking of the active surveillance network of food transmitted diseases (program Foodnet), limiting the monitoring of infections to only two pathogens: salmonella and the bacteria E. coli toxin producers Shiga.
This decision, which limits the surveillance of six additional germs, was applied in July and has generated restlessness among public health officials. Thus, six other germs are left out: Campylobacter, Cyclospara, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia, whose monitoring is now optional.
The centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) then have salmonella and bacteria E. coli toxin producers Shiga as the main causes of food transmitted diseases, hospitalizations and deaths in the US.
The health departments of 10 states that participate in the State and Federal Joint Program will be obliged to monitor only the infections transmitted by food caused by these two pathogens, collects Associated Press (AP).
Impact on shooting
Food security experts warn that this decrease in surveillance requirements could delay the identification of food outbreaks transmitted diseases. The dependence on passive reports on infections will complicate the collection of precise and exhaustive data, affecting the understanding of the risks associated with the food supply.
The medical community, represented by figures such as Carlota Medus and Frank Yiannas, has expressed concern about the implications of this reduction. They emphasize that the lack of complete data can lead to less informed public health decisions.
The authorities justify it by pointing out that reducing the reports for submission of reports “will allow Foodnet personnel to prioritize the main activities,” as the CDC spokesman Paul Prince, in a statement. This measure allows the agency to “manage resources effectively,” he added.
Foodnet origin and evolution
Established in 1995, Foodnet was created as a collaboration between the CDC, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Medicines Administration (FDA). Since then it has been an essential system to trace food infections in approximately 16% of the US population through their data, cases of food transmitted diseases have been estimated.
However, the reduction of the program raises doubts about the future capacity of the system to effectively monitor public health related to food.
Foodnet includes health departments in Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, certain counties from California and New York.
Food poison infections
Food intoxication infections in the US are a significant public health problem. Every year, approximately 48 million people get sick from contaminated foods, with symptoms that can include colic, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Food -transmitted diseases cause about 3000 deaths annually in the country, especially affecting babies, elders and people with weakened immune systems.
The most common food poisoning agents in the US are bacteria such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Listeria, Campylobacter and viruses such as Norovirus. The latter is the main cause of outbreaks, getting sick to more than 20 million people a year.
In 2024, there were several considerable outbreaks of Listeria linked to food products ready for consumption, causing hospitalizations and deaths in several states, including California, Nevada, Illinois, Michigan and Texas. For example, a recent outbreak linked to Fettuccine Alfredo meals with chicken caused 17 infections, 16 hospitalizations and 3 deaths.
Listeria can cause symptoms from slight to serious fever, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck stiffness and seizures, with an incubation period of up to 2 weeks.
High -risk groups
People with the highest risk of severe food poisoning are babies, adults over 65, pregnant women, infants and people with weakened immune systems or chronic diseases.
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