Which agency conducts outbreak surveillance and coordinates public health during foodborne illness events?

• A. FDA.
• B. USDA APHIS.
• C. EPA.
• D. CDC.

Answer: (D)

Outbreak surveillance and coordinating public health during foodborne illness events are led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC serves as the national hub for disease surveillance, collecting and analyzing data from hospitals, laboratories, and state and local health departments, and then issuing guidance and alerts to manage the situation. It runs systems like PulseNet, which uses DNA fingerprinting of bacterial isolates to detect related cases across different places, signaling a common source. It also oversees the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System to monitor reportable illnesses nationwide, and it coordinates epidemiologic investigations and risk communication during outbreaks. While the FDA focuses on ensuring the safety of the food supply and the USDA handles animal health and certain agricultural programs, the public health coordination during foodborne illness events falls to the CDC, making it the best answer.