Recent Trends in Foodborne Infections in Europe and North America

Abstract

The frequency of reporting of foodborne infections of animal origin, in particular salmonella, campylobacter and Escherichia coli (VTEC) has increased in recent years due to changes in food production and processing methods in parallel with changes in eating habits and other social factors such as mass catering and the use of convenience foods. In contrast infections, primarily of human origin, in particular typhoid, paratyphoid and bacillary dysentery, are nowadays much less frequently associated with foodborne spread. Meanwhile, other “emerging” micro‐organisms of bacterial, viral and protozoal origin have increasingly frequently been reported with evidence of food or waterborne spread. Foodborne disease has also taken on an international dimension, highlighted by outbreaks associated with imported foods (e.g. cheese, chocolate, pate, etc.) and tourist groups. Presents a review of recent trends in foodborne infections.

Public perceptions about microbiological hazards in food

“…Salmonella, Campylobacter and verotoxin-producing E. coli (e.g. E. coli O157:H7) (Sharp and Microbiological hazards 745 Reilly, 1994;van Logtestijn and Urlings, 1995). Within England and Wales the number of food poisoning notifications has risen steadily from approximately 15,000 cases reported in the early 1980s to over 60,000 cases reported in 1996, and the number of laboratory reports of Campylobacter and Salmonella has risen threefold (Djuretic, 1997).…”

“…changes in retailing practice and in social and household patterns of shopping and eating; and . a growing segment of the population which is especially vulnerable to infectious diseases (owing to immune impairment as a consequence of HIV infection, underlying chronic disease or ageing) (Lacey, 1993;van Logtestijn and Urlings, 1995;Altekruse and Swerdlow, 1996;Sharp and Reilly, 1994).…”

“…Although less common, these types of illness tend to be prolonged, severe and can require intensive medical treatment (Sockett, 1993). Deaths are not unknown in connection with botulism, salmonellosis, listeriosis or verotoxinproducing E. coli infection, especially among vulnerable groups of the population (infants, the elderly, the sick and other immuno-compromised persons) (Sharp and Reilly, 1994). Indeed, haemolytic uraemic syndrome, resulting from E. coli O157:H7 infection, is the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children in the USA and also poses a serious renal risk in elderly patients (Shewmake and Dillon, 1998).…”

Microbiological quality of fruit juices sold in Tripoli–Libya

“…Studies have shown that pathogenic bacteria can survive pH as low as 2.5 for 2 h or more (Benjamin & Datta, 1995;De Jonge, Takumi, Ritmeester, & Leusden, 2003;Gordon & Small, 1993;Lin et al, 1996). Furthermore, in the last decade a number of outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium and Norwalk virus infections associated with consumption of unpasteurized fruit juice have been documented in Europe, United States and other countries (Bresser, Lett, & Weber, 1993;CDC, 1997;Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1999;Cody, Glynn, & Farrar, 1999; Cook, Dobbs, & Hlady, 1998;Millard et al, 1994;Sharp & Reilly, 1994;Singh, Kulshreshtha, & Kapoor, 1996). To prevent the risk of additional fruit juices-associated outbreaks, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a rule in 2001 that requires fruit juice manufacturers to demonstrate that their manufacturing methods can achieve a 5-log10 reduction of foodborne pathogens (Food & Drug Administration, 2001).…”

An Analysis of Fifty-Year-Surveillance of Food Related Diseases in Turkey

“…3). Occurrence rates and prevalence of foodborne diseases have been reported mostly by developed countries including USA, Canada, and Europe [6,[9][10][11][16][17][18] along with mortality and morbidity rates, magnitude, direction, and future trends [6,9,16,17,19,20]. Unfortunately, no reported data and long-term evaluations of foodborne diseases are available from developing countries (including Turkey) although these countries experience a rapid rate of population growth.…”