Surveillance and characteristics of food-borne outbreaks in the Netherlands, 2006 to 2019

Abstract

Background: A wide variety of pathogens can cause disease in humans via consumption of contaminated food. Although food-borne outbreaks only account for a small part of the food-borne disease burden, outbreak surveillance can provide insights about the pathogens, food products implied as vehicle, points of contamination, and the settings in which transmission occurs. Aim: To describe the characteristics of food-borne outbreaks registered between 2006 and 2019 in the Netherlands. Methods: All reported outbreaks in which the first case occurred during 2006-19 were analysed. We examined the number of outbreaks, cases and setting by year, aetiology, type of evidence and food commodities. Results: In total, 5,657 food-borne outbreaks with 27,711 cases were identified. The contaminated food product could be confirmed in 152 outbreaks (2.7%); in 514 outbreaks (9.1%), a pathogen was detected in cases and/or environmental swabs. Norovirus caused most outbreaks (205/666) and most related cases (4,436/9,532), followed by Salmonella spp. (188 outbreaks; 3,323 cases) and Campylobacter spp. (150 outbreaks; 601 cases). Bacillus cereus was most often found in outbreaks with a confirmed food vehicle (38/152). Additionally, a connection was seen between some pathogens and food commodities. Public eating places were most often mentioned as a setting where the food implicated in the outbreak was prepared. Conclusion: Long-term analysis of food-borne outbreaks confirms a persistent occurrence. Control and elimination of foodborne illness is complicated since multiple pathogens can cause illness via a vast array of food products and, in the majority of the outbreaks, the pathogen remains unknown.