The European Union Summary Report on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents and Food-borne Outbreaks in 2010

The European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control analysed the information on the occurrence of zoonoses and food-borne outbreaks in 2010 submitted by 27 European Union Member States. In 2010, 99,020 salmonellosis cases in humans were reported and the decreasing trend in case numbers continued. Most Member States met their Salmonella reduction targets for poultry, and Salmonella is declining in these populations. In foodstuffs, Salmonella was most often detected in fresh broiler and turkey meat. Campylobacteriosis was the most commonly reported zoonosis with 212,064 human cases. Campylobacter was most often detected in fresh broiler meat. The number of human listeriosis cases decreased slightly to 1,601. Listeria was seldom detected above the legal safety limit from ready-to-eat foods at retail. A total of 4,000 confirmed verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) infections were reported and this number has been increasing since 2008. VTEC was also observed in food and animals. The numbers of human yersiniosis cases have been decreasing in recent years and, 6,776 cases were reported in 2010. Yersinia enterocolitica was isolated also from pig meat and pigs; 133 cases of Mycobacterium bovis and 356 cases of brucellosis in humans were also reported. The prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle increased, and the prevalence of brucellosis decreased in cattle, sheep and goat populations. Trichinellosis and echinococcosis caused 223 and 750 confirmed human cases, respectively. These parasites were mainly detected in wildlife. The number of Q fever cases in humans decreased to 1,414. In animals Q fever was found in domestic ruminants. There were two human cases of rabies in 2010 and the number of rabies cases in animals slightly increased. Most of the 5,262 reported food-borne outbreaks were caused by Salmonella, viruses, Campylobacter and bacterial toxins and the main food sources were eggs, mixed or buffet meals and vegetables. (C) European Food Safety Authority, 2012