Brussels, 14/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - In 2010, resistance to antibiotics was detected in salmonella and campylobacter - the two main causes of food poisoning in the EU - according to the second report on antibiotics resistance published on Wednesday 14 March by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
In 2010, the number of cases of salmonella amongst human beings fell for the sixth year running, by nearly 9% and there was also a fall in the number of cases of salmonella detected in poultry. Campylobacteriosis, however, remains the most frequent zoonotic infection in human beings, with infections rising year on year for the past five years. These are the two main facts set out in the EFSA/ECDC joint annual Report on Antimicrobial Resistance in Zoonotic Bacteria affecting Human Beings, Animals and Food, published on 8 March. The information in the report will help the European Commission and EU member states examine potential measures to protect consumers from the dangers of such diseases and help tackle the resistance to antibiotics. In 2010, 212,064 cases of campylobacteriosis were reported in human beings in the EU (up 7% on 2009). The main food source of campylobacter (which can cause diarrhoea and fever) is raw poultry meat. In order to tackle the disease, the European Commission is currently carrying out a cost-benefit analysis of measures to fight bacteria in various stages of the food chain. EFSA is collaborating in this, assessing a reference study in the EU on the prevalence of campylobacter in chickens and providing scientific advice about ways to reduce infection.
The report states that the likely reason for the reduction in the number of salmonella infections in human beings is the success of anti-salmonella programmes across the EU in reducing its prevalence in poultry, particularly laying hens. Salmonella usually causes fever, diarrhoea and stomach cramp. There were 99,020 cases reported in human beings in 2010, compared with 108,618 in 2009. It is usually identified in chicken and turkey meat.
The report gives an overview of other types of food poisoning. “Human cases of Shiga toxin/verotoxin producing Escherichia coli, (STEC/VTEC), have been increasing, since 2008”, with 4,000 cases reported in 2010. In both animals and in food, VTEC is most commonly found in cattle and beef. (AN/transl.fl)