Etiological Agents Implicated in Foodborne Illness World Wide

Area of Science:

• Food Safety
• Microbiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Foodborne illnesses represent a major global health concern, causing 600 million cases and 420,000 deaths annually.
• Contaminated food, particularly from food-producing animals, is a significant source of these diseases.
• Pathogens like norovirus and Campylobacter are common, while Listeria monocytogenes is particularly fatal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review statistical information on foodborne illnesses and outbreaks linked to food-producing animals.
• To highlight the global burden and specific pathogen prevalence in human health and the food industry.
• To identify key bacterial and viral agents associated with high-risk foodborne diseases.

Main Methods:

• Mini-review of existing statistical data and scientific literature on foodborne illnesses.
• Analysis of reported cases and deaths attributed to specific pathogens and food sources.
• Comparative overview of foodborne illness trends in the United States, Europe, Australia, Korea, and Japan.

Main Results:

• Foodborne diseases affect 7.69% of the global population annually, with 7.5% of annual deaths linked to these illnesses.
• In the US, foodborne illnesses from animal products ranged from 10.4% to 14.1% between 1999-2017; cases from Campylobacter have not decreased.
• Campylobacter and Salmonella are prevalent in Europe and Australia, E. coli in Korea, and Campylobacter and Clostridium perfringens in Japan.

Conclusions:

• Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli are major pathogens associated with food-producing animals and high-risk foodborne illnesses.
• Effective surveillance and control measures are crucial to mitigate the impact of these pathogens.
• Continued research and data collection are essential for understanding and combating global foodborne disease burdens.