Epidemiology of seafood-associated infections in the United States

Abstract

Seafood is part of a healthful diet, but seafood consumption is not risk-free. Seafood is responsible for an important proportion of food-borne illnesses and outbreaks in the United States. Seafood-associated infections are caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites; this diverse group of pathogens results in a wide variety of clinical syndromes, each with its own epidemiology. Some seafood commodities are inherently more risky than others, owing to many factors, including the nature of the environment from which they come, their mode of feeding, the season during which they are harvested, and how they are prepared and served. Prevention of seafood-associated infections requires an understanding not only of the etiologic agents and seafood commodities associated with illness but also of the mechanisms of contamination that are amenable to control. Defining these problem areas, which relies on surveillance of seafood-associated infections through outbreak and case reporting, can lead to targeted research and help to guide control efforts. Coordinated efforts are necessary to further reduce the risk of seafood-associated illnesses. Continued surveillance will be important to assess the effectiveness of current and future prevention strategies.

FIG. 1.

Number of confirmed seafood-associated outbreaks and outbreak-related cases, by year and etiology, 1973 to 2006.

FIG. 2.

Number of confirmed seafood-associated outbreaks, by etiology and month of occurrence, 1973 to 2006.

FIG. 3.

Number of confirmed seafood-associated outbreaks in the United States, by state, 1973 to 2006.

FIG. 4.

Percentages of seafood-associated outbreaks of infection attributable to seafood commodities in four multiyear ranges.

FIG. 5.

Numbers of outbreaks and sporadic cases of Vibrio infection, by species and year, 1997 to 2006.