MMWR Vol. 64 / No. SS-12

MMWR Surveillance Summaries Vol. 64, No. SS-12 December 11, 2015

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In this report

Outbreaks of Acute Gastroenteritis Transmitted by Person-to-Person Contact, Environmental Contamination, and Unknown Modes of Transmission — United States, 2009–2013 Mary E. Wikswo, Anita Kambhampati, Kayoko Shioda, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ 2015;64(No. SS-12) Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major cause of illness in the United States, with an estimated 179 million episodes annually. A total of 10,756 AGE outbreaks occurred during 2009-2013, for which the primary mode of transmission occurred through person-to-person contact, environmental contamination, and unknown modes of transmission. NORS received reports from public health agencies in 50 U.S. states, DC, and Puerto Rico. These outbreaks resulted in 356,532 reported illnesses, 5,394 hospitalizations, and 459 deaths. Recommendations for prevention and control of AGE outbreaks transmitted through person-to-person contact, environmental contamination, and unknown modes of transmission depend primarily on appropriate hand hygiene, environmental disinfection, and isolation of ill persons.