Infections from E. coli O157:H7 are down 42 percent from the baseline established in 1996-1998, and Listeria monocytogenes infections were down almost as much, by 40 percent, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday. Instances of Campylobacter and Yersinia fell by 31 percent and 45 percent, respectively. The odd pathogen out was Salmonella, which fell by only 8 percent. However, Dr. Merle Pierson, acting under secretary for food safety at USDA, noted that for Salmonella Typhimurium, commonly associated with meat and poultry, the decline was 41 percent. Pierson said, however, that USDA plans to step up training and inspection aimed at Salmonella pathogens.

"We are gratified to see that food-borne illnesses continue to trend downward, the same way pathogenic bacteria on many meat and poultry products are trending downward," said James Hodges, president of the American Meat Institute Foundation.

The decline in E. coli infections means that the U.S. has met its Healthy People 2010 goal five years ahead of schedule.