EU One Health Zoonoses Report, published by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and ECDC (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control), confirms the increase in zoonoses in the EU in 2023. (1)
Among the diseases transmitted to humans from animals in the EU, listeriosis is rampant – reaching its highest level ever in the last 15 years – after campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis.
The highest number of deaths is due to listeriosis (335 cases), followed by salmonellosis (88) and West Nile virus infection (75). The elderly, children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are the most exposed subjects.
1) Campylobacteriosis
Campylobacteriosis, the most commonly reported foodborne gastrointestinal infection in humans in the European Union, is increasing. Especially during the summer, except for a peak in January, close to the end-of-year holidays, when the consumption of grilled meats is common (bad). (2)
In 2023 148.181 human events were reported, 45,7 cases per 100.000 inhabitants. With an increase of 4,3% compared to the 139.225 notifications of 2022.
Fresh chicken and turkey meat was the most contaminated in the category ‘meat and meat products’ not ready-to-eat. Ready-to-eat food was less frequently positive: only 0.13% of the 3070 samples analysed in 11 Member States tested positive for Campylobacter, with three cases on oysters and one other unspecified.
2) Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis is the second zoonotic disease reported in Europe (the first in Italy, with 3.333 cases). (3) In 2023, 77.486 cases were reported in the EU, 18 per 100 inhabitants, with an increase of 16,9% compared to 2022.
The most contaminated foods were found to be:
– fresh poultry meat (sampled at the distribution stage), with 9% of samples positive for Salmonella
– poultry meat products intended for cooked consumption (8,1%),
– mechanically separated meat (7,1%)
– minced meat and poultry meat preparations intended for cooked consumption (6,6%).
Analysis in slaughterhouses has highlighted a much higher percentage of positive samples in the checks carried out by the competent authorities, compared to those carried out by the operators. A couple of examples:
– for turkeys, the incidence of Salmonella-positive samples was found to be more than 10 times higher in public controls than in private ones (29,9% and 2,8%, respectively)
– in broiler chickens, official controls detected a positivity of 17,8% of the samples, 6,8 times higher than that found by operators (2,6%).
3) Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli are the most dangerous strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli. STEC infection was the third most reported foodborne gastrointestinal disease in humans in the EU in 2023.
The confirmed cases were 10.217, equal to 3,1 cases per 100.000 inhabitants, with an increase of 30% compared to 2022.
The foods tested positive for contamination are:
- 1% of the 6863 samples of ‘ready-to-eat foods’, mainly ‘milk and milk products’ (2% positive) and ‘meat and meat products’ (1,3%)
- 6,7% of the 45 samples of ‘baked goods’
- 3,1% of the 9254 ‘not ready to eat’ samples, with the highest level of contamination in ‘meat and meat products’ (3,8%).
4) Yersiniosis
The cases of human yersiniosis reported in the EU in 2023 are 8738 cases, i.e. 2,4 cases per 100.000 inhabitants, with an increase of 13,5% compared to 2022.
The foods positive for Yersinia were:
– meat and meat products, 123 cases, 10,2% of 1210 samples
– fresh pork, 120 cases, 12,6% of 953 fresh meat samples.
5) Listeriosis, the record in three lustrums
The 2.952 cases of listeriosis reported in 2023 mark a record incidence, the highest in Europe since 2007 and constantly increasing.
The cause is mainly the consumption of ready-to-eat foods. Mainly
– smoked salmon, for which the British Food Safety Agency (FSA) and Scottish Food Safety Agency (FSS) have just issued a warning to protect pregnant women and people with weak immune systems (4)
– meat and meat products
– milk derivatives.
Marta Strinati
Cover image from Schoder et al. Asymptomatic Carriage of Listeria monocytogenes by Animals and Humans and Its Impact on the Food Chain.Foods 2022, 11(21), 3472; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213472
Footnote
(1) The European Union One Health 2023 Zoonoses report. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). EFSA Journal. 10.12.24 https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9106
(2) Marta Strinati. A perfect barbecue against food poisoning. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade).
(3) Silvia Bonardi, Dario Dongo. Salmonella, the most widespread pathogen in Europe, ABC. FT (Food Times). 1.10.18
(4) Dario Dongo. Listeria in smoked salmon, warning from FSA and FSS. FT (Food Times). 9.12.24
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
