Norovirus ranks 4th among 15 foodborne pathogens in terms of economic burden in the U.S.

Over 95 percent of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths from the 9.4 million episodes of foodborne illnesses in the United States that can be tied to identifiable pathogens are caused by 15 foodborne pathogens. A new ERS data product provides cost estimates for these 15 pathogens in terms of medical costs, wages lost from time away from work, and value of death. Norovirus illness is the most common U.S. foodborne illness and accounts for 60 percent of foodborne illnesses that can be tied to a specific pathogen—5.5 million cases a year. Although in 90 percent of cases people recover without seeking medical care, Norovirus ranks 4th among foodborne pathogens in terms of economic burden—an estimated $2.3 billion in a typical year. Fifty-seven percent of these costs are due to deaths, 16 percent are due to hospitalizations, and the remainder are incurred by those who treat themselves at home or visit a doctor. The statistics for this chart, and similar costs for 14 other foodborne pathogens, can be found in the Cost Estimates of Foodborne Illnesses data product released on October 7, 2014.

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