EU zoonoses, zoonotic agents and food-borne outbreaks in 2017

A report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) presents the results of zoonoses monitoring activities carried out in 2017 in 37 European countries (28 member states (MS) and nine non-MS).

Campylobacteriosis was the most commonly reported zoonosis and the increasing European Union (EU) trend for confirmed human cases since 2008 stabilised during 2013–2017. The decreasing EU trend for confirmed human salmonellosis cases since 2008 ended during 2013–2017, and the proportion of human Salmonella Enteritidis cases increased. The notification rate of human listeriosis further increased in 2017, despite the fact that Listeria seldom exceeds the EU food safety limit in ready-to-eat foods. The decreasing EU trend for confirmed yersiniosis cases since 2008 stabilised during 2013-2017 and the number of confirmed Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections in humans was stable.

Of the 5079 food- and water-borne outbreaks reported, Salmonella was the most common detected agent, with one out of seven outbreaks caused by S. Enteritidis, followed by other bacteria, bacterial toxins and viruses. The agent was unknown in 37.6% of all outbreaks. Salmonella in eggs and Salmonella in meat and meat products were the highest risk agent/food pairs.

The report, 'The European Union summary report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and food-borne outbreaks in 2017', further summarises trends and sources for bovine tuberculosis, Brucella, Trichinella, Echinococcus, Toxoplasma, rabies, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), West Nile virus and tularaemia.

Source: ECDC, 12 December 2018