Campylobacter, Salmonella Infections Stay Below Pre-Pandemic Levels in EU, but Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Rise Overall
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Campylobacter and Salmonella infections reported in the EU in 2022 remained below pre-pandemic (2018–2019) levels, according to the latest EU One Health zoonoses report, which is compiled annually by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Overall, in 2022, the number of reported foodborne illness outbreaks in the EU increased by 44 percent in comparison to 2021, from 4,005 outbreaks to 5,763 outbreaks, reaching similar levels as during the pre-pandemic years and causing the highest number of outbreak-related deaths in the past decade (64). Deaths were primarily attributed to Listeria monocytogenes, and were associated with a wide variety of foods, including meat and dairy, fish, and vegetables. The more frequent use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) may have enhanced the sensitivity of surveillance, thereby increasing the ability to detect outbreaks in the EU.
With 137,107 cases, the number of campylobacteriosis cases—the most common zoonotic disease—remained constant in 2022 when compared to the previous year. Chicken meat was the most significant vehicle of infection.
In 2022, there were 65,208 instances of salmonellosis reported—an increase from 60,169 cases in 2021—making it the second most common zoonotic illness. However, goals for reducing the prevalence of Salmonella in poultry were successfully met by 19 Member States, the UK, and Northern Ireland. The goal was met by the greatest number of countries since 2018 when 14 Member States achieved all targets.
Alongside the 2022 One Health zoonoses report, EFSA has published story maps and dashboards which provide searchable information and data visualizations on Brucella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections.
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