Reported Incidence of Infections Caused by Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food: Impact of Increased Use of Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 1996–2023
Hazel J. Shah, Rachel H. Jervis, Katie Wymore, Tamara Rissman, Bethany LaClair, Michelle M. Boyle, Kirk Smith, Sarah Lathrop, Suzanne McGuire, Rosalie T. Trevejo, Marcy McMillian, Stic Harris, Joanna Zablotsky Kufel, Kennedy Houck, Carey E. Lau, Carey Devine, Dave Boxrud, Daniel L. Weller
Abstract
Reducing foodborne disease incidence is a public health priority.This report summarizes preliminary 2023 Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) data and highlights efforts to increase the representativeness of FoodNet.During 2023, incidences of domestically acquired campylobacteriosis, Shiga toxinproducing Escherichia coli infection, yersiniosis, vibriosis, and cyclosporiasis increased, whereas those of listeriosis, salmonellosis, and shigellosis remained stable compared with incidences during 2016-2018, the baseline used for tracking progress towards federal disease reduction goals.During 2023, the incidence and percentage of infections diagnosed by culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) reported to FoodNet continued to increase, and the percentage of cases that yielded an isolate decreased, affecting observed trends in incidence.Because CIDTs allow for diagnosis of infections that previously would have gone undetected, lack of progress toward disease reduction goals might reflect changing diagnostic practices rather than an actual increase in incidence.Continued surveillance is needed to monitor the impact of changing diagnostic practices on disease trends, and targeted prevention efforts are needed to meet disease reduction goals.During 2023, FoodNet expanded its catchment area for the first time since 2004.This expansion improved the representativeness of the FoodNet catchment area, the ability of FoodNet to monitor trends in disease incidence, and the generalizability of FoodNet data.* FoodNet is a collaboration among CDC, 10 state health departments, the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Food and Drug Administration.The historic catchment area includes sites under surveillance since 2004, including Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, and Tennessee, and counties in California (three), Colorado (seven), and New York (34).The expanded catchment area includes these sites and 57 Colorado counties not in the historic catchment area (i.e., the rest of Colorado).