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


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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