New estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show the instances of food poisoning in the US dwindling, largely due to improvements in research and new data. Annually, about 48 million Americans, or one in six, become sick due to foodborne illnesses, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die. About 38 million cases involve unspecified agents. Of the remaining instances, which result from 31 known foodborne pathogens, 90% are due to seven pathogens: salmonella, norovirus, campylobacter, toxoplasma, E. coli O157, listeria and clostridium perfringens. Fifty-eight percent of cases are caused by norovirus, which comprised 26% of hospitalizations. While salmonella was responsible for only 11% of foodborne-related illnesses, it accounted for 35% of hospitalizations and 28% of deaths. Campylobacter made up 9% of foodborne-related illnesses and 15% of hospitalizations. Toxoplasma gondii accounted for 8% of hospitalizations and 24% of deaths.

Source: CDC