07.04.2011

EFSA’s BIOHAZ Panel has published a scientific opinion assessing the public health impact of control measures which could be used to reduce the occurrence of Campylobacter in chickens and chicken meat. The experts also evaluated how reduction targets for Campylobacter in chickens in the European Union may lead to a fall in the number of human cases of campylobacteriosis associated with the consumption of chicken meat.

Campylobacteriosis accounted for 198,252 human cases notified in 2009 in the EU. However, this disease goes largely unreported and the effective number of cases is believed to be around nine million each year. The cost of campylobacteriosis to public health systems and to lost productivity is estimated to be around 2.4 billion euros each year across the EU.