The number of people suffering from listeriosis is increasing in Europe. According to figures from the European Food Safety Agency, France is particularly affected by this serious infection.
The threat of listeriosis still hangs over Europe. This serious food-borne infection caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes is increasing in Europe, as the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) reported on Tuesday. And this bacterial disease is far from trivial since it manifests itself by sepsis or infection of the central nervous system.
+ 10.5% infection this year
Listeriosis is contracted by eating contaminated food or by contact with infected animals. The Member States of the European Union reported 1,642 cases of this disease in 2012, or 10.5% more than the previous year, confirming an upward trend that began in 2008. In this sad list Spain , Scandinavia, France and Germany reported the highest number of cases relative to their population. As a result, this disease killed 198 people in 2012 in Europe.
A mortality rate of nearly 20%
This disease is among the most dangerous of the zoonoses (diseases transmitted from animals to humans), with a mortality rate of 17.8%. It has a particularly high incidence in people over the age of 74, says EFSA.
Other risk groups are pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. They therefore belong to the groups most exposed to complications, in particular meningitis and septicemia.
According to EFSA, Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium causing listeriosis has been detected mainly in ready-to-eat fish and meat products (eg smoked fish and sliced ham).
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