P Bélanger1, F Tanguay1, M Hamel1, M Phypers1. 1. Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Enteric outbreak investigation in Canada is performed at the local, provincial/territorial (P/T) and federal levels. Historically, routine surveillance of outbreaks did not occur in all jurisdictions and so the Public Health Agency of Canada, in partnership with P/T public health authorities, developed a secure, web-based Outbreak Summaries (OS) Reporting System to address this gap. OBJECTIVE: This analysis summarizes the foodborne outbreak investigations reported to the OS Reporting System between 2008 and 2014. METHODS: Finalised reports of investigations between 2008 and 2014 for all participating jurisdictions in Canada were extracted and descriptive analysis was carried out for foodborne outbreaks on etiological agent, severity of illness, outbreak duration, exposure setting and outbreak source. RESULTS: There were 115 reported foodborne outbreaks included in the analysis. This represents 11.2% of all outbreaks reported in the enteric module of the OS Reporting System between 2008 and 2014. Salmonella was the most commonly reported cause of foodborne outbreak (40.9%) and Enteritidis was the most common serotype reported. Foodborne outbreaks accounted for 3,301 illnesses, 225 hospitalizations and 30 deaths. Overall, 38.3% of foodborne outbreaks were reported to have occurred in a community and 32.2% were associated with a food service establishment. Most foodborne outbreak investigations (63.5%) reported a specific food associated with the outbreak, most frequently meat. CONCLUSION: The OS Reporting System supports information sharing and collaboration among Canadian public health partners and offers an opportunity to obtain a national picture of foodborne outbreaks. This analysis has demonstrated the utility of the OS Reporting System data as an important and useful source of information to describe foodborne outbreak investigations in Canada.
BACKGROUND: Enteric outbreak investigation in Canada is performed at the local, provincial/territorial (P/T) and federal levels. Historically, routine surveillance of outbreaks did not occur in all jurisdictions and so the Public Health Agency of Canada, in partnership with P/T public health authorities, developed a secure, web-based Outbreak Summaries (OS) Reporting System to address this gap. OBJECTIVE: This analysis summarizes the foodborne outbreak investigations reported to the OS Reporting System between 2008 and 2014. METHODS: Finalised reports of investigations between 2008 and 2014 for all participating jurisdictions in Canada were extracted and descriptive analysis was carried out for foodborne outbreaks on etiological agent, severity of illness, outbreak duration, exposure setting and outbreak source. RESULTS: There were 115 reported foodborne outbreaks included in the analysis. This represents 11.2% of all outbreaks reported in the enteric module of the OS Reporting System between 2008 and 2014. Salmonella was the most commonly reported cause of foodborne outbreak (40.9%) and Enteritidis was the most common serotype reported. Foodborne outbreaks accounted for 3,301 illnesses, 225 hospitalizations and 30 deaths. Overall, 38.3% of foodborne outbreaks were reported to have occurred in a community and 32.2% were associated with a food service establishment. Most foodborne outbreak investigations (63.5%) reported a specific food associated with the outbreak, most frequently meat. CONCLUSION: The OS Reporting System supports information sharing and collaboration among Canadian public health partners and offers an opportunity to obtain a national picture of foodborne outbreaks. This analysis has demonstrated the utility of the OS Reporting System data as an important and useful source of information to describe foodborne outbreak investigations in Canada.
Authors: M Kate Thomas; Regan Murray; Logan Flockhart; Katarina Pintar; Frank Pollari; Aamir Fazil; Andrea Nesbitt; Barbara Marshall Journal: Foodborne Pathog Dis Date: 2013-05-09 Impact factor: 3.171
Authors: M Kate Thomas; Regan Murray; Logan Flockhart; Katarina Pintar; Aamir Fazil; Andrea Nesbitt; Barbara Marshall; Joanne Tataryn; Frank Pollari Journal: Foodborne Pathog Dis Date: 2015-08-10 Impact factor: 3.171
Authors: B Berenger; L Chui; A R Reimer; V Allen; D Alexander; M-C Domingo; D Haldane; L Hoang; P Levett; A MacKeen; D Marcino; C Sheitoyan-Pesant; G Zahariadis Journal: Can Commun Dis Rep Date: 2017-12-07