title: Risk-based estimate of effect of foodborne diseases on public health, Greece.
abstract: The public health effects of illness caused by foodborne pathogens in Greece during 1996-2006 was quantified by using publicly available surveillance data, hospital statistics, and literature. Results were expressed as the incidence of different disease outcomes and as disability-adjusted life years (DALY), a health indicator combining illness and death estimates into a single metric. It has been estimated that each year ≈370,000 illnesses/million inhabitants are likely caused because of eating contaminated food; 900 of these illnesses are severe and 3 fatal, corresponding to 896 DALY/million inhabitants. Ill-defined intestinal infections accounted for the greatest part of reported cases and 27% of the DALY. Brucellosis, echinococcosis, salmonellosis, and toxoplasmosis were found to be the most common known causes of foodborne illnesses, being responsible for 70% of the DALY. Overall, the DALY metric provided a quantitative perspective on the impact of foodborne illness that may be useful for prioritizing food safety management targets.
authors: Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands. elissavet.gkogka@wur.nl
authors: Elissavet
authors: E
authors: Gkogka
authors: Martine W
authors: MW
authors: Reij
authors: Arie H
authors: AH
authors: Havelaar
authors: Marcel H
authors: MH
authors: Zwietering
authors: Leon G M
authors: LG
authors: Gorris
mesh_terms: D059022:Food Safety; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018570:Risk Assessment