Volume 10, Number 9—September 2004
Perspective
Deaths due to Unknown Foodborne Agents
Paul D. Frenzen*
Table 4
Deaths attributed to gastroenteritis of unknown cause, United States, 1994–1998
| Characteristic | Average annual no. of deaths (%)a |
|---|---|
| Total | 4,383 (100.0) |
| Selected other causes of death reported on death certificate (ICD-9 code) | |
| Enteric infectious diseases (001.0–008.8) | 58 (1.3) |
| Septicemia of known etiology (038.0–038.8) | 81 (1.8) |
| Bacterial pneumonia (481–482.9) | 28 (0.6) |
| Septicemia of unknown etiology (038.9) | 726 (16.6) |
| Hemorrhage of gastrointestinal tract, unspecified (578.9) | 167 (3.8) |
| Acute or unspecified vascular insufficiency of intestine (557.0, 557.9) | 136 (3.1) |
| Anemia, unspecified (285.9) | 183 (4.2) |
| Acute or unspecified renal failure (584.9, 586) | 443 (10.1) |
| Pneumonia of unknown etiology (485, 486) | 463 (10.6) |
| Place of death | |
| Medical facility | 3,058 (69.8) |
| Nursing home | 766 (17.5) |
| Residence | 476 (10.9) |
| Other, unknown | 83 (1.9) |
aDeaths with any mention of specified cause on the1994–1998 Multiple Cause of Death files.
