Purpose: This study uses published and original estimates of illness source attribution to assess the number and costs of illnesses associated with meat and poultry in the United States. National estimates are supplemented with commodity group estimates and burdens at the U.S. state level.
Methods: Outbreak and expert opinion source attribution data is integrated into a cost-of-illness study for meat and poultry-related foodborne illnesses in the United States and across the individual states. Monte Carlo analysis in @Risk7.5 is used to incorporate and characterize numerous sources of uncertainty. Two cost-of-illness models are used to assess costs.
Results: Illnesses from meat and poultry are responsible for 4.2 million illnesses (90% C.I. 2.8–6.2 million) from specified etiologies, resulting in health-related costs of $13.3 billion using the conservative cost-of-illness method (90% C.I. $7.8–$19.8 billion) and $31.0 billion using the enhanced method (90% C.I. $9.7–$58.2 billion). The large share of illnesses from Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella (nontyphoidal) makes poultry the largest single commodity source of illness; with 1.4 million illnesses (90% C.I. 0.7–2.0 million) and costs of $3.3 billion (90% C.I. $1.5–$6.6 billion) and $12.2 (90% C.I. $2.8–$29.7 billion) for the conservative and enhanced economic models respectively.
Significance: Meat and poultry continue to be a significant source of foodborne illness; imposing a substantial economic burden on consumers. The estimates presented here can be used to demonstrate the utility of maintaining a public health system that aims to manage these risks.