CDC: Rates of Foodborne Illnesses on the Rise in Raw Milk, Shellfish, Poultry

While certain causes of food poisoning in the U.S. have declined due in part to a government crackdown on slaughterhouses, bacteria commonly linked to raw milk and poultry is causing more and more food poisonings, according to a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To combat these increasing rates of poisoning from food, the CDC says there needs to be better regulation of meat along with stricter regulation of produce and processed food.

There is one stomach bug in particular that is becoming more common, causing more Americans to get sick. The bug, called Campylobacter, is carried in chicken and unpasteurized milk and cheese, and causes diarrhea, stomach pain and fever. The study found that campylobacter cases grew by 14 percent between 2006 and 2012.

Meanwhile, vibrio infectionsm, which is linked to raw shellfish, rose 43 percent and can cause serious, life-threatening infections. It is particularly dangerous for people who have liver disease. The CDC also noted a decrease in infections caused by E.coli, though rates of infection spiked again in 2012. 

The CDC's regular survey of foodborne illness was based on foodborne infections in only 10 states, about 15 percent of the American population, but it is seen as a good indicator of food poisoning trends. Overall, food poisonings held fairly steady in recent years.

"The U.S. food supply remains one of the safest in the world. However, some foodborne diseases continue to pose a challenge. We have the ability, through investments in emerging technologies, to identify outbreaks even more quickly and implement interventions even faster to protect people from the dangers posed by contaminated food," CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. said in the report.

The CDC recommends that people should take caution when handling raw meats and poultry, and to ensure that all foods are thoroughly cooked before eating. People with weakened immune systems and pregnant women should avoid raw or partially cooked seafood.