Microbiological Food Safety Situation in Hungary

Abstract

Worldwide and in Hungary as well majority of foodborne diseases are caused by microbes. The number of cases can be significant, with severe symptoms, partly lifelong complications or even life threatening conditions. Regarding the causatives agents of foodborne diseases, significant changes can be observed in the last decades. With general hygienic improvement the once frequent or significant foodborne diseases (like typhoid fever, dysentery, tapeworm infections, trichinellosis, infectious hepatitis, etc.) disappeared or decreased to a low incidence. At the same period some zoonotic diseases (salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis) broke through to a very high incidence, and significantly determinate the present epidemic situation in Europe and Hungary. Emerging or re-emerging pathogens (e.g. Listeria, enterotoxigenic E. coli strains) causing severe, life threatening diseases must be taken into account. Most of the known infectious cases in Hungary are caused by Salmonella and Campylobacter strains, also significantly present in livestock. This publication analyses the trends and causes of Hungarian foodborne outbreaks and cases, as well as their relationship to animal health in international comparison. It draws attention to the fact, that the improvement of the present situation can only be achieved by taking complex measures along the whole food chain coordinated on governmental level.