Final answer:
A food service manager must report confirmed cases of Salmonella enterica, as it is a serious and potentially deadly food pathogen outlined by regulatory authorities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The confirmed food worker pathogen infection that a manager must report to the regulatory authority is Salmonella enterica. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. It is commonly found in raw and undercooked meat, poultry, dairy products, and seafood. When a food worker is infected with Salmonella, it is important to report it to the regulatory authority to prevent the spread of the bacteria.
A food service manager must report confirmed cases of certain food worker pathogen infections to the regulatory authority. The pathogens that regulatory agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration are concerned about include Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium spp., pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio spp., and Yersinia spp., as well as parasites and viruses like Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora and Norwalk virus (norovirus). Of the options provided in the question, Salmonella enterica is the correct answer because it is one of the pathogens on this list and is known for causing serious illness that can be deadly. In fact, Salmonella species are the most likely to be deadly pathogens in food in the United States.