The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61453

Helen Schurz Rogers, PhD¹, Alden Henderson, PhD², Alicia Fry, MD³, Wairimu Chege, MD³, Carol Rubin, DVM, MPH¹, Paul Mead, MD³, and Robert Tauxe³. (1) National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, MS E23, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-498-1353, hhs0@cdc.gov, (2) Health Investigations Branch, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1600 Clifton Rd, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30333, (3) National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333

No etiologic agent was identified in 60% of the 1344 foodborne disease outbreaks reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1999. Many of these outbreaks had onsets of illness of less than 12 hours. Possible etiologic agents in these short incubation outbreaks include chemicals, drugs, pesticides, and plant toxins--most of which could be identified and quantified in the laboratory. Detection of these agents, however, requires specific clinical specimens, prompt collection methods, and testing techniques that are not routinely included in the investigation of foodborne outbreaks due to bacteria or viruses.

In an effort to increase the identification of etiologic agents in foodborne outbreaks, the Health Studies Branch of CDC's National Center for Environmental Health, and the Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch of CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases have established a working group to improve the investigation of chemical foodborne outbreaks. We will discuss the symptom profiles that suggest a chemical agent as the etiologic agent; some common chemical agents to suspect; and the types of biological samples to collect. We will also give examples of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses in which a chemical was successfully identified as the etiologic agent.

Learning Objectives:

• We will discuss the symptom profiles that suggest a chemical agent as the etiologic agent of foodborne illnesses; some common chemical agents to suspect; and the types of biological samples to collect. We will also give examples of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses in which a chemical was successfully identified as the etiologic agent.

Keywords: Food Security, Emergency

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.