THE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COSTS OF DISEASES OF PUBLIC-HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE,IN RELATION TO MEAT AND MEAT-PRODUCTS

Meat and meat products are important vehicles of foodborne illness out break in European countries. Salmonellas were the most commonly report ed aetiology of infection, although the relative importance of other a gents varied. The factors contributing to the increase in food poisoni ng and salmonellosis in England and Wales related both to foods eaten and their preparation. The implication of foods of animal origin as pr inciple vehicles of infection was strengthened by reports associating these foods with outbreak of human illness, and reports of salmonella infection in animals and poultry. The current increase in salmonella i nfection associated with poultry products suggests that reducing infec tion in, or contamination of poultry could significantly decrease huma n illness.The problem of human salmonellosis is multi-factorial. Trend s are driven by both intrinsic factors relating to the microbiological quality of the food and standards of preparation, and extrinsic facto rs, such as ambient temperature, which amplify the intrinsic effects. Many of these factors may be amenable to preventive activities, includ ing programs to reduce infection in animals and poultry and programs t o educate the consumer in safe food handling. The costs of human salmo nella infection in England and Wales were estimated to be between poun d 231 million and pound 331 million in 1988 of which pound 143 million to pound 205 million may have been associated with meatborne infectio n. Reductions in human illness, as modelled by irradiation of poultry meat, could give substantial economic gains.