Epidemiology

An estimated 600 million people become unwell each year after eating contaminated food, resulting in 420,000 deaths and the loss of 33 million healthy life years.[6]

Within the UK, a report by the Food Standards Agency estimated there were 2.4 million cases of food poisoning in 2018. Norovirus was the most common pathogen, with an estimated 383,000 cases per year, followed by Campylobacter (299,000 cases) and Clostridium perfringens (85,000 cases).[7]

The annual incidence of foodborne disease in the US is estimated to be 1 in 6.[8] This equates to approximately 48 million people becoming ill, 128,000 hospitalisations, and 3000 deaths each year.[8] Identified pathogens account for an estimated 9.4 million illnesses, 56,000 hospitalisations, and 1300 deaths.[8]Salmonella, Toxoplasma, Listeria, norovirus, and Campylobacter are responsible for 1180 deaths.[8] Unidentified pathogens account for the majority of illnesses, hospitalisations, and deaths.[8] Overall, foodborne diseases appear to cause more illnesses but fewer deaths than previously estimated.[9][10][11]

The most common causes of acute dysentery worldwide remain Shigella, Salmonella, and Campylobacter; other causes include Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in developed countries and Entamoeba histolytica in developing countries.[12] There is seasonal variation in temperate climates relating to a common timing of infection with Campylobacter, salmonellosis, and verocytotoxin producing E coli (VTEC); all have a distinct summer peak. Cryptosporidiosis displays a bi-modal peak, with spring and summer highs and marked temporal variation. Giardiasis shows a relatively small summer increase and is the least variable.[13]

Trematodiasis is endemic in many parts of the world with estimates of 56 million people infected in 2005, mainly in Asia and Latin America.[5] With increasing inland water farming, travel, and food trade, the prevalence is increasing.

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