CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.

These estimates provide the most accurate estimates yet of which known foodborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) are causing the most illnesses in the United States, and how many foodborne illnesses are caused by unspecified agents. The estimates also show that much work remains to be done—specifically in focusing efforts on the top known pathogens and identifying the additional causes of foodborne illness and death.

CDC provides estimates for two major groups of foodborne illnesses

Known foodborne pathogens — 31 pathogens known to cause foodborne illness. Many of these pathogens are tracked by public health systems that track diseases and outbreaks. Read the report >

Unspecified agents — Agents with insufficient data to estimate agent-specific burden; known agents not yet identified as causing foodborne illness; microbes, chemicals, or other substances known to be in food whose ability to cause illness is unproven; and agents not yet identified. Because you can’t “track” what isn’t yet identified, estimates for this group of agents started with the health effects or symptoms that they are most likely to cause, such as acute gastroenteritis. Read the report >

Total number of foodborne illnesses each year

CDC estimated the number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by both known and unspecified agents. CDC then estimated what proportion of each were foodborne. The first table below provides estimates for domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, and the second table provides estimates for domestically acquired illnesses caused by all transmission routes (foodborne, waterborne, person-to-person contact, animal contact, environmental contamination, and others).

Estimated annual number of domestically acquired, foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents transmitted through food, United States

Foodborne agents Estimated annual number of illnesses Estimated annual number of hospitalizations Estimated annual number of deaths Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % 31 known pathogens 9.4 million

(6.6–12.7 million) 20 55,961

(39,534–75,741) 44 1,351

(712–2,268) 44 Unspecified agents 38.4 million

(19.8–61.2 million) 80 71,878

(9,924–157,340) 56 1,686

(369–3,338) 56 Total 47.8 million

(28.7–71.1 million) 100 127,839

(62,529–215,562) 100 3,037

(1,492–4,983) 100

Estimated annual number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and the unspecified agents, United States

Foodborne agents Estimated annual number of illnesses Estimated annual number of hospitalizations Estimated annual number of deaths Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % Number (90% credible interval) % 31 known pathogens 37.2 million

(28.4–47.6 million) 21 228,744

(188,326–275,601) 47 2,612

(1,723–3,819) 42 Unspecified agents 141.8 million 79 258,033 53 3,574 58 Total 179 million 100 486,777 100 6,186 100

Pathogens causing the most foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths each year

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses

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Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in hospitalization

Top five pathogens contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses resulting in death