The key findings of the annual EU One Health Report on Zoonoses , edited by EFSA and ECDC, describe an increase in reported cases of zoonotic diseases in humans, while foodborne outbreaks have seen a slight decline.The number of reported listeriosis cases in humans (2952) has seen a steady increase in the period 2019-2023 , reaching the highest levels since 2007.
This may be linked to the ageing of the European population (21.3% of Europeans are now over 65 years old) which, in relation to the increasing prevalence of age-related chronic diseases, increases the risk of severe symptoms in older age groups.
Contaminated ready-to-eat (RTE) foods , such as smoked salmon, meat products and dairy products, are the most common source of infections.
The most recent data indicate that the percentage of samples from RTE food categories exceeding the contamination limits for Listeria monocytogenes varies between 0.11% and 0.78%, with the highest levels recorded in fermented sausages.
Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis were the most frequently notified zoonotic diseases in the EU in 2022.
In 2023, 148 181 cases of campylobacteriosis were reported, up from 139 225 in 2022.
After campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis was the second most reported gastrointestinal infection in humans, with 77 486 cases compared to 65 478 in 2022.
Only 15 Member States and Northern Ireland (UK) have achieved all their targets for the reduction of Salmonella in poultry . This is a worsening compared to 2022, when 19 Member States achieved full compliance with the targets.
“The persistent presence of Salmonella in poultry populations highlights the need for continued vigilance in the fight against foodborne diseases. Advanced surveillance tools, such as whole genome sequencing , are invaluable in detecting and controlling outbreaks more effectively,” said Frank Verdonck , Head of the Biological Risks and Animal Health and Welfare Unit at EFSA .
The report also includes data from monitoring foodborne outbreaks defined as “events during which at least two people contract the same disease from consuming the same contaminated food.”
A total of 5,691 foodborne outbreaks were reported in 2023, a slight decrease compared to the previous year.
However, the number of human hospitalizations and deaths increased , with deaths reaching their highest peak in a decade. Salmonella remained the leading cause of food-related outbreaks, illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.
The most common sources of these outbreaks are eggs and egg products, compound foods and chicken meat.
The increasing use of whole genome sequencing has improved the sensitivity of surveillance , increasing the ability to detect outbreaks in Member States that have adopted it.
“The increase in severe outcomes from these outbreaks highlights the persistence of the public health threat posed by Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens. By integrating human, animal and environmental health into a One Health strategy, we can more effectively prevent the spread of these diseases and protect public health,” said Celine Gossner, Head of Emerging, Foodborne and Vector-Borne Diseases at ECDC .
One Health is a multi-sectoral approach that aims to balance and optimize the health of people, animals, plants and their shared environment, recognizing the interconnectedness. In an effort to foster joint measures, the One Health approach involves specialists from various disciplines to address complex health threats in an integrated way.
EFSA has published: an accessible language summary (PLS) (a simplified version of the “European Union One Health 2023 Zoonoses Report”) as well as multimedia storymaps and dashboards that allow users to search and visualise data on foodborne outbreaks and 14 zoonotic pathogens.
Specifically , six storymaps and four dashboards are published for the first time on: Echinococcus, Q fever, rabies, Toxoplasma gondii, Trichinella, tularemia, West Nile virus and Yersinia . GO TO THE EFSA WEBSITE