Outbreaks of Salmonella serotype enteritidis infection associated with consumption of raw shell eggs--United States, 1994-1995.

Salmonella serotype Enteritidis (SE) accounts for an increasing proportion of all Salmonella serotypes reported to CDC's National Salmonella Surveillance System. During 1976-1994, the proportion of reported Salmonella isolates that were SE increased from 5% to 26%. During 1985-1995, state and territorial health departments reported 582 SE outbreaks, which accounted for 24,058 cases of illness, 2,290 hospitalizations, and 70 deaths. This report describes four SE outbreaks during 1994-1995 associated with consumption of raw shell eggs (i.e., unpasteurized eggs) and underscores that outbreaks of egg-associated SE infections remain a public health problem.