Iowa Governor's Conference on Public Health

Foodborne illness is caused by the consumption of contaminated foods or beverages. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne illness affects 48 million Americans, causes 128, 000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually. Based on the CDC’s foodborne disease outbreaks annual report, in 2015, there were 902-foodborne disease outbreaks reported, resulting in 15,202 illnesses, 950 hospitalizations, 15 deaths, and 20 food product recalls.

In 2018, The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), Local Public Health Agencies (LPHA), the CDC, the Food and Drug Agency, and food industry partners investigated outbreaks of Salmonella linked to mayo-based salads sold at major grocery chains and Cyclospora linked to leafy greens and vegetables.

In this presentation, IDPH and DIA will discuss the investigation methods that led to the identification of these outbreaks and the importance of coordination and collaboration among entities (federal, state, local, and retail) involved in a multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional outbreak.