Infectious Disease · Public Health · 4 h ago
US Animal Contact Linked to Nearly 1 Million Illnesses From Six Pathogens
A surveillance-based modeling analysis estimated annual US illness, hospitalization and death burdens linked to animal contact for seven pathogens, using data around 2017–2019. Six pathogens were associated with an estimated 995,022 illnesses; across those pathogens and Toxoplasma gondii, estimates included 9,592 hospitalizations and 236 deaths.
- Six pathogens caused an estimated 995,022 animal-contact illnesses.
- Estimated burden included 9,592 hospitalizations and 236 deaths.
- Analysis used surveillance data and adjustment models.
- Early-release article may change before final publication.
Researchers used US surveillance data and established adjustment methods to estimate illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths linked to direct or indirect animal contact for seven pathogens. Data came from FoodNet, the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System and the Listeria Initiative, with population estimates based on 2017–2019. The models accounted for underreporting and underdiagnosis where applicable. Illness counts were not estimated for Toxoplasma gondii because most infections were asymptomatic and mild illnesses were not quantified.
Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, nontyphoidal Salmonella and non-pestis Yersinia together caused an estimated 995,022 illnesses annually (90% credible interval [CrI], 476,251–1,833,238). Across these pathogens and T. gondii, the estimated burden was 9,592 hospitalizations (90% CrI, 5,603–15,557) and 236 deaths (90% CrI, 119–411).
The estimates update earlier US figures using revised methods and expanded Yersinia coverage, and include hospitalization and death estimates for T. gondii. They rely on surveillance data, modeling and pathogen-specific attribution estimates; the wide credible intervals indicate uncertainty. The article is an early release and may change before its final version. The authors say greater awareness of animal contact as a transmission route could support prevention and surveillance efforts.
In practice
The estimates reinforce that animal contact is a transmission route associated with substantial illness and severe outcomes in the United States, across six enteric pathogens and Toxoplasma gondii. They may inform public-health prevention messaging and surveillance priorities, but do not identify a particular exposure threshold or intervention. The figures are modeled from surveillance data and pathogen-specific attribution proportions, have wide credible intervals, and are reported in an early-release article; they do not establish individual patient risk or support a specific change in clinical management.
AI-generated clinical interpretation · Not editor-reviewed
Is this summary clinically accurate?
Help fellow clinicians: your rating sends inaccurate summaries straight to our editors.
Sign in to rate this summary →Source
Emerging Infectious Diseases: Estimated Illness Linked to Animal Contact for 7 Pathogens, United States, 2019 ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.