Foodborne disease trends in other countries

Thursday 15 December 2005

This information paper summarises trends in the major foodborne disease pathogens in other countries. Data presented suggest a downward trend in the incidence of campylobacter and salmonella in the UK, most countries in Europe, the United States and Canada.

Available data show that the number of reported cases of VTEC (such as E.coli O157) is relatively stable, except in the United States, where a decline is reported. Recent figures show an increasing trend in listeriosis in the UK, many countries in Europe and Australia.

The Board is invited to:

• note the trends in the incidence of foodborne pathogens in the UK and other countries.
• note that due to differences in national reporting, surveillance and recording systems in different countries, it is not possible to make direct comparisons of the incidence or numbers of cases of foodborne illness between individual countries.