Salmonella infections overtook norovirus to become Denmark’s top cause of outbreaks in 2023. Data from the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, and Statens Serum Institut shows Salmonella outbreaks increased from 11 2022 to 18 in 2023. Norovirus caused 13 outbreaks compared to 14 in 2022.
Campylobacter continues to be the most common bacterial foodborne illness, with 5,186 cases in 2023. Salmonella cases increased for the fourth year in a row, to 1,207 from 899 in 2022. For both pathogens, the numbers moved towards levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shiga-Toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections increased from 1,330 in 2022 to 1,431 in 2023. A change in diagnostics can explain this, said experts.
E. coli O26 caused the most cases, followed by O146 and O157. Yersinia enterocolitica cases rose from 747 to 1,199, but Listeria infections fell from 86 to 54.
More Salmonella outbreaks In total, 64 foodborne outbreaks with 1,760 patients were reported in 2023. In 2022, 63 outbreaks and 1,284 patients were registered. Norovirus was behind 13 outbreaks, affecting 462 people in 2023.
Five outbreaks with 142 illnesses were related to the consumption of imported raw oysters served in restaurants. The largest outbreak was when 323 people were sickened by an unknown pathogen linked to pulled pork. Salmonella caused 18 outbreaks, with six of them being international events.
There were eight Salmonella Enteri.
