Multi‐country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections associated with consumption of eggs from Germany

Abstract

Following an urgent inquiry in the Epidemic Intelligence Information System for Food-and Waterborne Diseases and Zoonoses (EPIS-FWD) related to the outbreak of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) launched by France on 1 August 2014, and a message posted on the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) on 14 August, ECDC and EFSA agreed to prepare a rapid outbreak assessment to assess the public health risk at the European Union level. Public health issue This is a multi-country outbreak of S. Enteritidis cases reported in Austria, France and Luxembourg associated with eggs from Germany and caused by isolates indistinguishable by molecular typing methods. Potential links with this multi-country outbreak are also being investigated in Germany and in the United Kingdom, where additional cases have been reported caused by isolates that are highly similar or indistinguishable by molecular typing methods. Disease background information S. Enteritidis isolations in humans S. Enteritidis is the most commonly detected serovar in human salmonellosis in Europe. It has declined substantially in recent years (Figure 1), most likely as a result of the successful control measures implemented for laying hens and egg production. Figure 1. Distribution of confirmed cases of Salm onella Enteritidis by year in EU/EEA, The European Surveillance System (TESSy) data, 2007–2013 RAPID OUTBREAK ASSESSMENT Multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis – 25 August 2014 3 From 2007 to 2013, 328 537 S. Enteritidis cases were reported to the European Surveillance System (TESSy) (mean number per year 46 934, range 29 350 to 83 376) by 27 countries, with Germany and the Czech Republic together reporting 52% of all cases. Of all cases with available information, 43% (n=139 090) were under 15 years, 51% (n=168 725) were female and 90% (n=245 479) were acquired within the reporting country. Symptom onset of cases was distributed across the year, with a peak from July to September. In the first quarter of 2014, 2 076 cases were reported to TESSy. Enteritidis is the predominant serovar associated with the Salmonella outbreaks [1]. In 2012, S. Enteritidis accounted for 179 outbreaks and 2 177 human cases (37.6% of all cases in Salmonella outbreaks). Most of these S. Enteritidis outbreaks were attributed to eggs and egg products (Figure 2). In the same year, egg and egg products were implicated in 168 outbreaks (22%) out of 763 outbreaks reported at EU level, of which 93.5 % were