Monitoring the incidence and causes of diseases potentially transmitted by food in Australia: annual report of the OzFoodNet Network, 2007.

In 2007, OzFoodNet sites reported 27,332 notifications of 8 diseases or conditions that are commonly transmitted by food. The most frequently notified infections were Campylobacter (16,984 notifications) and Salmonella (9,484 notifications). Public health authorities provided complete serotype and phage type information on 96% of all Salmonella infections in 2007. The most common Salmonella serotype notified in Australia during 2007 was Salmonella Typhimurium, and the most common phage type was Salmonella Typhimurium 135. During 2007, OzFoodNet sites reported 1,882 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness; the majority of these were spread person to person but included those transmitted by contaminated food. In total, these outbreaks affected 37,474 people and resulted in 1,034 people being admitted to hospital. During these outbreaks there were 114 deaths reported. Food was suspected or confirmed as the mode of transmission for 149 of these outbreaks, which affected 2,290 persons, hospitalised 266 persons and 5 deaths were reported during these outbreaks. For these foodborne outbreaks, S. Typhimurium was the most common aetiological agent and restaurants were the most common setting where foods were prepared. Twenty-four of these foodborne outbreaks were related to the consumption of eggs; the majority (n = 22) of these outbreaks were due to various phage types of S. Typhimurium. This report summarises the incidence of disease potentially transmitted by food in Australia and details outbreaks associated with various food vehicles in 2007. These data assist agencies to identify emerging disease, develop food safety policies, and prevent foodborne illness.