Salmonella is a common enteric pathogen and is the most frequently reported bacterial infection in the United States. The two most commonly reported serotypes causing human illness in the United States are Salmonella serotype Typhimurium and Salmonella serotype Enteritidis (SE). The incidence and number of foodborne outbreaks of SE started to increase in the 1970s and by 1994, SE was the most common Salmonella serotype reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). SE has been most commonly associated with consumption of shell eggs. Outbreak reports were obtained from the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (FDOSS) and analyzed. The number of outbreaks of SE has declined by 67% since 1990, likely as a result of the combined effect of on-farm interventions, public health policies, and food safety education messages. In addition to the decline in SE outbreaks, study findings demonstrate that there have been changes in the geographical distribution of SE outbreaks in the US. “Simple egg” foods and retail food settings have been the most commonly and consistently associated vehicles and food consumption and preparation settings with SE outbreaks in the US from 1973 to 2008
