OzFoodNet quarterly report, 1 January to 31 March 2008

This quarterly report documents investigations of outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness and clusters of disease potentially related to food, occurring in Australia from 1 January to 31 March 2008. During the first quarter of 2008, OzFoodNet sites reported 245 outbreaks of enteric illness, including those transmitted by contaminated food. Outbreaks of gastroenteritis are often not reported to health agencies or the reports are delayed, meaning that these figures under-represent the true burden of enteric illness.