Luxembourg shares foodborne illness figures for 2023

Luxembourg has published data on the number of people sickened by foodborne pathogens in 2023.

The epidemiological report analyzes the data collected by the infectious disease surveillance system for 2023.

Health officials said there was a notable increase in cases of salmonellosis associated with travel to Turkey. As travel frequency normalized after the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in gastrointestinal and foodborne illnesses.

In 2023, 855 cases of campylobacteriosis were recorded, compared to 912 in 2022. The average age of those affected was 37, and men were slightly more affected than women.

Out of 250 strains analyzed, most were Campylobacter jejuni, with Campylobacter coli in second.

Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria

A total of 171 Salmonella infections were recorded compared to 165 in 2022.

The average age of those sickened was just older than 27. Children under ten years of age had the highest incidence rate. There was a peak of cases in September, which was linked to people returning from vacation.

Salmonella Enteritidis was found most frequently with 70 cases, followed by monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium with 26 cases, and Salmonella Typhimurium with 17 cases.

Fourteen Salmonella Enteritidis infections were linked to trips to Turkey in different all-inclusive hotels, a finding also reported in other countries. A precise source of these cases has not yet been determined.

A case of Salmonella Strathcona was also part of a European-level incident involving tomatoes as the suspected source.

Sixteen Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) cases were reported, compared to nine infections in 2022. One person was hospitalized and developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The number of listeriosis patients was the same as the previous year, with four. The average age of cases was 85, and three were male. Three people with underlying conditions died.

Summary of other illnesses

In 2023, 39 culture-confirmed cases of shigellosis were noted, an increase from 27 in 2022. Almost two-thirds of Shigella strains were Shigella sonnei. The mean age of cases with confirmed shigellosis was 36.6, and 67 percent were male.

A total of 34 Yersinia cases were recorded, compared to 35 in 2022. The mean age of patients with culture-confirmed yersiniosis was almost 20, and men were slightly more affected.

Norovirus reports increased from 588 to 688. The average age of those affected was just below 26, and women represented slightly more than half of cases. High rates were recorded among children under the age of 5 and people aged 80 or older.

Cryptosporidium cases rose from 117 to 212. Women were more affected than men, and the average age of those affected was under 27. The incidence rate is higher in children under the age of 5 and in women aged 25 to 39.

A marked increase in infections was observed in late summer 2023. Following the detection of the spike in cases and reports from other European countries about more people getting sick, especially after returning from abroad, health officials launched an investigation using an online questionnaire for invited cases.

About half of the invited cases completed the questionnaire. Children aged 0 to 4 years accounted for a fifth of cases. More than half of patients during this period had been abroad, and almost two-thirds had been swimming. However, the investigation did not reveal a clear single source.

The Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) is organizing an in-person conference on food safety on Oct 10.

The annual event focuses on contaminants in the food chain. Speakers come from various agencies, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES). Participation is free, but registration is mandatory.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/09/luxembourg-shares-foodborne-illness-figures-for-2023/