Germany has reported a mixed picture for foodborne outbreaks and infections in 2022, with Salmonella and E. coli infections up and Campylobacter and Listeria cases down.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said the number of Campylobacter infections decreased while an increase in cases of EHEC and salmonellosis was recorded.
In 2022, 373 potential foodborne outbreaks (excluding norovirus) with 1,445 illnesses were reported to RKI. Data from the Infectious Disease Epidemiology annual report shows 154 of these were confirmed as food-related, and 913 people were affected. In 2021, 132 confirmed foodborne outbreaks sickened 704 people.
In 2022, 70 outbreaks were caused by Campylobacter, with 157 cases, and 67 were caused by Salmonella, with 682 cases. E. coli caused three outbreaks, with 30 people sick, and Listeria was behind five, with 14 cases. Two deaths were caused by listeriosis and one by salmonellosis. Eighty people were sick in 16 food-related norovirus outbreaks.
Campylobacter and E. coli
A total of 43,601 Campylobacter cases were reported in 2022, down from 2021. The majority fell sick from June to September, but a second peak was noted at the start of the year.
As in previous years, age-specific incidence was highest in toddlers and young adults. Two men aged around 70 and 90 died as a result of illness. For cases with available information, almost 90 percent were infected in Germany. Travel-related cases mostly went to Spain or Turkey.
1,822 E. coli cases were reported, up from 2021. Of those with available information, more than 80 percent were infected in Germany. Travel-related cases mainly mentioned Turkey or Egypt.
Information on serogroup was known for 226 infections. The top ones were O157 and O26. As in previous years, the incidence in children under 5 years old was several times higher than in the other age groups. German officials said the very low proportion of cases with information on serogroup, at only 12 percent and down again compared to the previous year, makes it difficult to detect geographically diverse outbreaks that may be foodborne.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) cases rose from 54 to 72. Germany was mentioned 41 times as the probable country of infection, while four people said Egypt.
As in previous years, except in 2011, the incidence in children under 5 years old was significantly higher than in other age groups. Twenty cases were reported in children aged 5 to 14, seven in adolescents aged 15 and over, and seven in adults.
For 32 cases with serotype information, O26 and O157 were the most frequently involved. A 63-year-old woman and an 82-year-old man died. E. coli O183 was behind one of the fatal cases.
Four outbreaks with 12 HUS cases and 19 E. coli infections were reported. The largest included seven HUS and 18 E. coli cases. Several daycare centers in Bavaria were affected, and they were supplied with food by the same caterer. The pathogen was E. coli O111 but the source of infection was not found.
Salmonella and Listeria figures
For Salmonella, 9,141 cases were recorded, up from 8,203 in 2021. Three-quarters of cases in 2022 were infected in Germany. Other frequently named countries were Turkey and Egypt.
As in past years, the highest age-specific incidences were in children under five years old. The most frequently detected serovars were Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium (including the monophasic variant), and Salmonella Infantis.
13 deaths were related to salmonellosis. These were a 32-year-old man as well as six men and six women aged between 63 and 91. Salmonella Enteritidis was behind three deaths, while Salmonella Typhimurium, Bovismorbificans, Infantis, Meleagridis, Muenchen, Newport, and Senftenberg were all listed once each.
Two large outbreaks each had 46 illnesses. They were both caused by Salmonella Enteritidis and were linked to a restaurant and a nursing home. A Salmonella Chester outbreak with 40 sick people involved a restaurant. Germany recorded 31 cases in the multi-country monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak caused by Ferrero chocolate products.
A total of 571 Listeria infections were reported, compared to 586 in 2021. In 2022, almost all cases were infected in Germany. The incidence of non-pregnancy-associated listeriosis increased significantly with age. 36 fatalities were reported in which listeriosis was given as the cause of death.
2022 1,809 Yersinia infections were noted, down from 1,935 in 2021. For cases with available information, more than 90 percent were infected in Germany.
The age-specific incidence showed the highest values in children, peaking in 1 and 2-year-olds. Yersinia enterocolitica was the most frequently mentioned type, and serotype O:3 was the main one detected. One foodborne outbreak with three sick people was linked to pork mince.
Only one case of botulism was reported, down from six in 2021, while 35 Brucella infections were recorded, up from 13 in 2021.
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