Listeria-related deaths increase in Europe

Recent data from a report conducted by the European Center for Disease Prevention on Control and the European Food Safety Authority showed an increasing trend in listeriosis from 2008 to 2015, with more than half of infections occurring in elderly patients. Researchers identified 270 deaths caused by Listeria in 2015, which is the highest number of deaths reported since 2008, according to the report.

“It is concerning that there continues to be an increasing trend of Listeria cases which mostly occur in the elderly population,” Mike Catchpole, PhD, chief scientist at the European Center for Disease Prevention on Control (ECDC), said in a press release. “ECDC is working together with Member States to enhance surveillance for food- and waterborne diseases, starting with Listeria, as earlier detection of relevant clusters and outbreaks can help prevent further cases. This is a public health threat that can and needs to be addressed.”

Although experts from the ECDC and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) observed an increasing trend in listeriosis since 2008 (P < .01), the number of infections (n = 2,206 confirmed cases) stabilized in 2015, the report said. More than half of the population affected by Listeria included elderly patients who are among those most at risk for related complications such as meningitis, brain infection and severe bloodstream infection, according to the release. Since 2008, the proportion of cases among individuals aged over 64 years increased from 56.2% to 64.1% in 2015. In addition, the proportion of cases among those aged over 84 years nearly doubled during this period from 7.3% to 12.8%.

Based on available data, the overall case fatality rate among patients with listeriosis was 17.7% in 2015. France and Germany reported the highest number of deaths, with 75 and 45 deaths, respectively.

“Listeria seldom exceeded the legal safety limits in ready-to-eat foods, the most common foodborne source of human infections,” Marta Hugas, PhD, head of Biological Hazards and Contaminants at EFSA, said in the release. “However, it is important that consumers follow manufacturer’s storage instructions and the guidelines given by national authorities on the consumption of foods.”

According to other notable findings in the report, Campylobacteriosis was cited as the most frequently reported foodborne disease in the European Union, with 229,213 cases reported in 2015. The second most common foodborne disease was salmonellosis. The number of cases slightly increased — partly due to improvements in surveillance and diagnostic methods — from 92,007 in 2014 to 94,625 in 2015.

Last year, Member States reported 4,632 foodborne outbreaks. The most common cause was Salmonella in eggs, which contributed to 39 strong-evidence outbreaks. However, the number of Salmonella outbreaks declined 41% since 2010. – by Stephanie Viguers

Reference: EFSA, ECDC. The European Union summary report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and food-borne outbreaks in 2015. http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/EU-summary-report-trends-sources-zoonoses-2015.pdf. Published December 16, 2016. Accessed December 28, 2016.

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