Foodborne Diseases: Overview of Biological Hazards and Foodborne Diseases

Foodborne diseases can occur as single cases or outbreaks and sometimes as in the case of cholera spread around the world to cause pandemics. The burden of foodborne diseases is hard to estimate but is in the billions of dollars for loss of life or reduced quality of life, particularly for diseases that are endemic. The bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents cause gastrointestinal symptoms lasting from a few hours to many months, but some agents trigger sequelae that can cause other adverse effects on the body. Everyone is exposed to these types of agents from time to time, but more frequently where there is poor sanitation and lack of temperature control of food, as it occurs in many parts of the developing world.