The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) estimates the cost of medical care for diseases caused by foodborne pathogens, and the subsequent productivity losses, at US$6.9bn per year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided updated case, hospitalisation and death estimates for the foodborne pathogens shown in the following table:
Estimated annual costs due to selected foodborne pathogens, 2000
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Estimated annual foodborne illnesses
| Pathogen | Cases | Hospitalisation number | Deaths | Costs |
| Bacteria | Billion 2000 dollars | |||
| Campylobacter spp | 1,963,141 | 10,539 | 99 | 1.2 |
| Salmonella | 1,341,873 | 15,609 | 553 | 2.4 |
| E.coli 0157:H7 | 62,458 | 1,843 | 52 | 0.7 |
| E.coli non-0157 STEC | 31,229 | 921 | 26 | 0.3 |
| Listeria monocytogenes | 2,493 | 2,299 | 499 | 2.3 |
| Total | 3,513,694 | 33,711 | 1,604 | 6.9 |
Source: Economic Research Service, January 19, ?2001
ERS has revised its methodology to take account of age in valuing premature deaths. “Under the age-adjusted approach, the assumed cost of each death ranges from US$8.9m for children who die before their first birthday to US$1.7m for individuals who die at age 85 or older,” according to the ERS.
By Aaron Priel, just-food.com correspondent
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