Germany has published data on foodborne outbreaks and infections for 2021, showing more than 130 outbreaks and a rise in most pathogens. In 2021, 376 potentially food-related outbreaks (excluding norovirus) with 1,263 illnesses were reported to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), down from 423 outbreaks in 2020. The figures come from the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Annual Report, which was released earlier this month.
Of the 132 confirmed foodborne outbreaks, 704 people were sickened. Sixty were caused by Campylobacter, with 205 cases, and 59 by Salmonella, with 465 cases. Three Listeria outbreaks had 11 cases and one death.
Two E. coli outbreaks affected six people, while two Yersinia enterocolitica outbreaks had four patients. Six of 1,430 norovirus outbreaks were reported as food-related, and 22 people were sick.
Four Hepatitis A outbreaks had nine patients. In 60 outbreaks with information on the suspected food, meat products were most frequently mentioned, followed by eggs or egg products and milk and dairy products. Campylobacter and E.
coli situation A total of 48,066 cases of Campylobacter were reported in 2021, up slightly from the year before but below 2019 levels. Most fell sick from July to September, but a second peak was recorded at the beginning of the year. For patients with information on probable country of infection, most fell sick in Germany, but Spain, Croatia, and Italy were also mentioned.
Seven people died. These were four women and three men aged bet.
