However, the incidence rate of Salmonella has remained about the same over the 10-year period, and the rate of Vibrio infections-typically caused by eating raw shellfish-shot up 85% compared with the first three years of CDC surveillance. Vibrio infections, however, represent a small portion of the overall total of foodborne illnesses.
The only significant decline in incidence in recent years other than for E. coli O157 was for Shigella infections. Although some Shigella infections are transmitted by food, most are probably transmitted directly from one person to another, often among children in child care settings, rather than through food, says the study.