Foodborne Illness Outbreak Surveillance in Washington
The Foodborne, Waterborne, and Enteric Disease Program works with state, local and federal partners to prevent and control enteric illnesses caused by consuming contaminated food or water, person-to-person contact, or contact with animals or their environment.
What We Do
- Monitor levels of foodborne, waterborne and enteric diseases in Washington.
- Prevent disease through public health efforts and education.
- Investigate and monitor illness clusters and outbreaks to remove contaminated food products and prevent further spread of illness.
- Assist local health jurisdictions with case interviews, outbreak investigations, epidemiological studies, and consultations as requested.
- Collaborate with environmental public health food safety partners for food recalls, restaurant inspections, and outbreak response.
- Coordinate clinical, food, and water sample testing with Washington State Public Health Laboratories.
- Perform data analysis to determine disease burden and trends over time.
- Communicate with the public to empower individuals to make informed decisions about food safety.
Our Partners
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- WA State Department of Agriculture (WSDA)
- WA Department of Health Food Safety Program
Conditions We Investigate
- Amebic meningitis (waterborne)
- Botulism (foodborne)
- Campylobacteriosis
- Cholera
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Cyclosporiasis
- Giardiasis
- Hepatitis A (foodborne)
- Listeriosis
- Salmonellosis
- Shellfish Poisoning (Paralytic, Domoic Acid or Diarrhetic)
- Shiga-toxin Producing E. coli Infection
- Shigellosis
- Taeniasis/Cysticercosis
- Trichinosis
- Typhoid Fever
- Vibriosis
- Yersiniosis
- Norovirus Outbreaks
- Foodborne Outbreaks
- Waterborne Outbreaks
WA Food Safety Center of Excellence
The Washington Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence (CoE) is a partnership between Washington Department of Health and the University of Washington School of Public Health. Established in 2019 under the CDC’s Integrated Food Safety Centers of Excellence program, the Washington CoE serves as a regional hub for strengthening foodborne illness surveillance and outbreak response across the western United States, including Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
Learn more about the Washington Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence, UW.
Outbreak Response and Collaborative Action (ORCA) Team
Established in 2016, the Outbreak Response and Collaborative Action (ORCA) Team is a communicable disease investigator team at the Washington State Department of Health composed of several graduate students from the University of Washington’s School of Public Health. This team supports epidemiologic investigations and public health response activities related to foodborne illnesses. ORCAs are trained to conduct case investigations for foodborne and enteric diseases, Lyme disease, coccidioidomycosis, and arboviral diseases.
For more information, email: foodborne-epi@doh.wa.gov.
Resources
National Foodborne Illness Outbreaks, CDC
Food Recalls and Safety Alerts
Contact Us
Email: foodborne-epi@doh.wa.gov
Washington residents or healthcare providers should contact their local health jurisdictions for assistance.