Which organism is listed as the top contributor to death from foodborne illness in the United States?

• A. Norovirus
• B. Toxoplasma
• C. Listeria
• D. Salmonella

Answer: (D)

Mortality from foodborne illness depends on both how often people get infected and how severe those infections are, especially in vulnerable groups. Norovirus causes the most illnesses because it’s highly contagious and widespread, but most infections are mild and not deadly, so deaths from it are relatively low. Toxoplasma and Listeria can cause serious illness, and Listeria has a high death rate when it does occur, but infections are less common overall. Salmonella infections occur frequently and can be severe, including invasive disease, bacteremia, and meningitis in susceptible populations, leading to the largest number of deaths among these pathogens. That combination of frequent illness and the potential for serious outcomes makes Salmonella the top contributor to death from foodborne illness in the United States.