EU: foodborne outbreak illnesses and deaths in 2018

17.12.2019

The European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control presents the results of zoonoses monitoring activities carried out in 2018 in 36 European countries (28 Member States (MS) and 8 non-MS). The first and second most commonly reported zoonoses in humans were campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis, respectively. The European Union (EU) trend for confirmed human cases of these two diseases was stable during 2014–2018. The proportion of human salmonellosis cases due to Salmonella Enteritidis was at the same level in 2018 as in 2017. Of the 27 reporting MS, 16 met all Salmonella reduction targets for poultry, whereas 11 MS failed meeting at least one. The EU flock prevalence of target Salmonella serovars in breeding hens, laying hens, broilers and fattening turkeys decreased during recent years but stalled in breeding turkeys.. In total, 5,146 food- and waterborne outbreaks werereported. Salmonella was the most commonly detected agent with S. Enteritidis causing one in fiveoutbreaks. Salmonella in eggs and egg products was the highest risk agent/food pair.