Fragmentary data indicate that zoonotic parasites cause human illnesse
s with medical costs and productivity and disability losses totalling
billions of dollars annually. Food is an important vehicle for some of
these parasitic diseases. The cost to public health is not reflected
in the priorities given to these parasitic diseases in either research
or public health planning. In this article, Tanya Roberts, Darwin Mur
rell and Suzanne Marks discuss the cost of toxoplasmosis, taeniasis, c
ysticercosis, trichinellosis and other food-borne parasitic diseases.