PREVALENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT OF SALMONELLA SPP. 

Salmonella is a pathogen present in pigs and derived meat products, making it a public health challenge currently encompassed in the concept of “One Health.” 

According to FAO data, pork accounts for 37% of total meat consumption worldwide and is the most consumed meat (FAO, 2013). Therefore, obtaining safe meat products is essential to protect the end consumer. EFSA estimates an economic cost of 3 billion euros/year worldwide. 

According to EFSA’s latest epidemiological report from 2023, salmonellosis is the second most common gastrointestinal infection in Europe and the leading known cause of foodborne disease outbreaks, after campylobacteriosis. 

In 2023, about 78,000 laboratories reported positive results for Salmonella across the EU, of which 88 resulted in death (18.1 people/100,000 population). Additionally, a general upward trend is observed. Salmonellosis is a notifiable disease in the EU, except in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands; all countries have a surveillance program except Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain. 

Of the 78,000 reported cases, 40.8% resulted in hospitalization and 88 in death. Furthermore, of the 29 countries that reported positives, all reported antibiotic resistance (to at least 3 different molecules). The highest resistance found was to fluoroquinolones, followed by third-generation cephalosporins. 

But how many of these are associated with pork consumption? 

In 2023, about 4.3 million samples were taken from 29 countries, and about 27,000 came from pigs. However, Salmonella control is a national issue, so official data may not correlate with high incidence levels. For example, Spain collected 0 samples from pigs in 2023, and Finland about 6,000, yet Spain reported 17 human salmonellosis cases (none apparently from pigs), and Finland 0 cases. 

In fact, among Salmonella outbreaks in 2023 with origins in more than one country, these were the possible sources (Figure 7, EFSA, 2023): 

Salmonellosis has a classic seasonal pattern from July to September. The most sensitive population is children aged 0 to 4 years. The most common serovars are enteritidis (52.7%) and typhimurium (9.6%). 

Conclusion 
Salmonellosis remains a major public health concern in Europe, with a high number of reported cases, significant hospitalization rates, and increasing antimicrobial resistance. Given the importance of pork as consumed meat, the role of related products in Salmonella transmission cannot be overlooked, even when surveillance data differ substantially between countries. Strengthening harmonized monitoring systems and improving source attribution are essential steps to better assess the contribution of pork consumption to human salmonellosis and to reduce its overall burden.