title: Public Health Risks from Illegally Imported African Bushmeat and Smoked Fish : Public Health Risks from African Bushmeat and Smoked Fish.
abstract: Large-scale importation of bushmeat from West and Central Africa into Europe was reported in 2010. We sampled 18 illegal African bushmeat consignments seized at Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris, France and tested for the presence of bacteria. Additionally, five smuggled smoked fish were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known carcinogens. All bushmeat samples had viable counts of aerobic bacteria above levels considered safe for human consumption. We also identified zoonotic bacterial pathogens in bushmeat and unsafe levels of carcinogens in fish. The illegal importation of meat is a potential risk for the introduction of pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Liège, Belgium. alchaber@hotmail.com.|Wildlife Consultant L.L.C, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. alchaber@hotmail.com.|Institute of Zoology, London, United Kingdom. alchaber@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Anne-Lise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Chaber
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cunningham
mesh_terms: D000350:Africa, Central; D000354:Africa, Western; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D003132:Commerce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens
keywords: Europe; bushmeat; illegal trade; public health