Campylobacter, Salmonella and norovirus account for most food-related illnesses in France

Norovirus is responsible for the highest number of cases, is third in terms of hospitalisations and seventh in deaths.

Campylobacter is second in terms of cases, first in hospitalisations and third for deaths. Salmonella is third for cases, second for hospitalisations and first for deaths.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes made up half of the burden of food-related deaths.

T. saginata is the most common parasite but T. gondii is the top cause of hospitalization and deaths.

Morbidity and mortality attributed to infectious foodborne diseases remain high, representing 1.28-2.23 million illnesses, 15,800-21,200 hospitalizations and 232-358 deaths.

The study produced annual numbers of symptomatic, hospitalized and deceased cases for 21 foodborne pathogen agents (10 bacteria, three viruses, eight parasites) in metropolitan France for 2008-2013.

Bacteria were Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter spp, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, STEC, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp, Shigella spp, Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia spp

Viruses are norovirus, Hepatitis A and E and parasites are Anisakis simplex, Diphyllobothrium latum, Echinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis, Fasciola hepatica, Tænia saginata, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp.​

Source: Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2018; (1):2-10​

“Estimation de la morbidité et de la mortalité liées aux infections d’origine alimentaire en France métropolitaine, 2008-2013​”

Authors: Dieter Van Cauteren, Yann Le Strat, Cécile Sommen, Mathias Bruyand, Mathieu Tourdjman, Nathalie Jourdan-Da Silva, Elisabeth Couturier, Nelly Fournet, Henriette De Valk, Jean-Claude Desenclos