The Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention (CFI) has released a report that documents what is currently known about the long-term health outcomes associated with several foodborne illnesses. The report also discusses how under-reporting, inadequate follow-up and a lack of research make it difficult to assess the impact that foodborne illness is having on Americans.
CFI's report, “The Long-Term Health Outcomes of Selected Foodborne Pathogens,” calls for a new approach to foodborne illness research and surveillance and provides expert reviews about some of the long-term health outcomes for five foodborne pathogens. The outcomes range from hypertension and diabetes to kidney failure and mental retardation.
"Foodborne illness is a serious public health issue in the 21st century," says Dr. Tanya Roberts, chair of CFI's board of directors and an author of the report. "But the vast majority of these illnesses are never reported to public health agencies, leaving us with many unanswered questions about the impact that foodborne illness is having on different populations, particularly young children and the elderly."
The five foodborne pathogens reviewed in this report include:
1.Campylobacter infection afflicts millions of Americans and hospitalizes over ten thousand annually. It is associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), the most common cause of neuromuscular paralysis in the United States. GBS can result in permanent disabilities and many patients require long-term care.
2.E. coli O157:H7 can cause serious foodborne illness, particularly in children. E. coli O157:H7 can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children in the United States. HUS can lead to death or long-term health complications such as end-stage kidney disease, neurological complications and other disabling conditions.
