How to Report Foodborne Illness

How to Report a Foodborne Illness - General Public

If you believe you or someone you know became ill from eating a certain food, please contact your county or city health department. Please refer to your state health department website to find more information about how to contact your local health department. Reporting illnesses to your local health department helps them identify potential foodborne disease outbreaks. By investigating foodborne disease outbreaks, public health officials learn about possible problems in food production, distribution and preparation that may cause illness... more »

How to Report a Foodborne Illness - Health Departments

Infection with Salmonella, Shigella, botulism, Listeria, Escherichia coli O157:H7, other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and Hepatitis A are reportable almost everywhere in the United States. Infection with other pathogens may also be reportable. Authority for disease reporting rests at the state level and states voluntarily report nationally notifiable conditions to CDC. The list of nationally notifiable diseases is updated annually by the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) with recommendations from CDC. Frequently, diagnoses remain unconfirmed until laboratory tests are completed... more »

How to Report a Foodborne Illness - Healthcare Professionals

Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illness for physicians and other healthcare professionals have been made available through a collaborative effort between several health agencies, including CDC. CDC has also published a Guide to Confirming the Diagnosis in Foodborne Disease.

In most cases, healthcare professionals should report foodborne illnesses to their county or city health department. Please refer to your state health department website to find more information about how to contact your local health department... more »