Notifications of outbreaks of foodborne diseases in the State of Sao Paulo, from 2011 to 2018

Abstract

Considered a broad public health problem, Foodborne Diseases - FVB are caused by eating contaminated food or water. An outbreak of FVB is characterized by the presence of the disease in two or more people. In Brazil, the State of Salo Paulo has the highest number of reported FVB outbreaks. This study aimed to survey the reports of FVB outbreaks in the State of Salo Paulo in the period from 2011 to 2018. In the eight years analyzed, 1,112 FVB outbreaks, a total of 74,268 consumers were exposed to the risk, 33,377 consumers developed the disease and 11 deaths were recorded. Most of the confirmed outbreaks occurred in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo - SP. The places with the highest occurrence of FVB outbreaks were day care centers and schools, homes and food merchants. The foods most involved in the outbreaks were pasta, water and meat products, but direct person-to-person transmission was responsible for most cases. The etiological agents most involved in the outbreaks were Norovirus and Rotavirus, considering the number of cases and outbreaks, and Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Shigella spp., considering the number of deaths. Important information is incomplete in the database, which hinders the knowledge about the evolution of FVB outbreaks in the State of Sao Paulo.