Surveillance for Foodborne Disease Outbreaks – United States, 2006

US surveillance reported 1,270 foodborne disease outbreaks in 2006, resulting in 27,634 illnesses and 11 deaths. Among these 1,270 outbreaks, 621 had a confirmed single cause; the cause was most often norovirus (54% of outbreaks), followed by Salmonella (18 % of outbreaks). Foodborne outbreaks of norovirus occur most often when infected food handlers do not wash their hands after using the toilet; foodborne outbreaks of Salmonella occur most often when foods contaminated with animal faeces are eaten raw or insufficiently cooked. Food commodities associated with the largest number of cases of illness in 2006 were poultry (21 % of outbreak-associated cases), leafy vegetables (17%), and fruits-nuts (16%). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. June 12 2009;58(22):609-15. The report can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5822a1.htm