Outbreaks of Salmonella serotype enteritidis infection associated with eating shell eggs--United States, 1999-2001.

A Salmonella serotype Enteritidis (SE) epidemic emerged in the 1980s, when increasing numbers of infections were detected in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. In the early 1990s, while SE rates in the Northeast began to decline, the SE epidemic expanded to the Pacific region. Nationwide, the number of SE isolates reported to CDC peaked at 3.8 per 100,000 population in 1995. Although rates of culture-confirmed SE infection reported to CDC declined to 1.9 by 1999 (Figure 1), rates did not decline further through 2001, and outbreaks continue to occur. Investigations of outbreaks and sporadic cases have indicated repeatedly that, when a food vehicle is identified, the most common sources of SE infection are undercooked and raw shell eggs. This report describes two SE outbreaks associated with eating shell eggs and underscores the need to strengthen SE-control measures.