The FAO and WHO have published a detailed report on the different viruses that can cause food contamination: from norovirus to enteric adenovirus.
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WHO and FAO published the full report of an investigation, which classified i foodborne viruses based on frequency and severity.
The first part of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) meetings focused on food attribution, analytical methods and indicators.
The experts reviewed scientific literature on foodborne viruses published since the 2008 JEMRA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment) report on the topic and information submitted in response to a request for data.
Viruses and foods
The norovirus was the leading cause of foodborne viral illnesses, followed byhepatitis A and of thehepatitis E. Hepatitis A and E were classified the same but with a higher clinical severity than norovirus. The third group contained rotavirus, sapovirus, enterovirus, astrovirus And enteric adenovirus.
Virus-product pairs associated with the highest public health burden included prepared foods, frozen berries and shellfish for norovirus and hepatitis A. For hepatitis E, pork was at the top, followed by venison.
It is estimated that the norovirus causes 125 million cases of foodborne illness and 35,000 deaths globally every year. The hepatitis A virus causes 14 million cases and 28,000 deaths each year. For hepatitis E there is no estimate of cases attributed to food.
Food can become contaminated at various points along the chain from producer to consumer, including through contact with infected individuals.
Other problems and viruses
Regarding detection and quantification, current standardized methods rely on the detection of viral nucleic acid, which does not necessarily indicate infectivity. Several factors, such as the complexity of the food and low levels of contamination, can limit the methods.
THE’tick-borne viral encephalitis it is mainly transmitted through tick bites; therefore, if infected ticks bite animals such as goats, the milk could be contaminated with the virus. Outbreaks with human cases have been associated with raw milk and raw milk cheese.
The Nipah virus It is transmitted through contact with infected animals, such as fruit bats or pigs, and with food and materials contaminated with their saliva or urine.
Meanwhile, FAO is looking for experts and data on the species Clostridium in foods. According to the FAO, limited data are available regarding the control of Clostridium in foods, and strategies to inhibit its growth and toxin production in food sources remain undetermined.
The aim is to collect recent research and surveillance results on Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfrigens And Clostridium difficile and data representing the different products and regions associated with diseases caused by these organisms. A meeting will take place in Rome, Italy, in February 2025.
Experts hope to identify scientists who can help assess the global burden of disease caused by the species Clostridium related to food, the prevalence of contamination, identification of hazards, current monitoring work and prevention strategies.
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