TY - JOUR

T1 - Multinational collaboration in solving a European Salmonella Braenderup outbreak linked to imported melons, 2021

AU - Moore, Hannah L

AU - Aabye, Martine

AU - Hoban, Ann

AU - Rosner, Bettina

AU - Lefevre, Stine K

AU - Litrup, Eva

AU - Müller, Luise

AU - Ethelberg, Steen

AU - Simon, Sandra

AU - Balasegaram, Sooria

AU - Larkin, Lesley

AU - Jernberg, Cecilia

AU - Takkinen, Johanna

AU - EU/EEA/UK S. Braenderup Outbreak Investigation Group

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - A genomic cluster of Salmonella Braenderup ST22, a serovar of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica which causes symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, was notified by Danish authorities to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on 3 May 2021. By 6 July 2021, S. Braenderup outbreak cases (n = 348) had been reported from 12 countries in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK), including 68 hospitalised cases. With support from affected EU/EEA countries, and in partnership with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), ECDC established an international outbreak investigation team to rapidly identify the source and prevent outbreak spread. Consumption information was shared with affected countries through a standard line list, revealing that 124 of 197 cases (63%) reported having eaten (any) melons within 7 days prior to disease onset. The speed and completeness of the investigation, which identified the outbreak vehicle as galia melons imported from Honduras in June 2021, was a direct result of extensive collaboration and information sharing between countries' national food safety and public health authorities. This article describes the outbreak and the benefits, successes, and challenges of multi-country collaboration for consideration in future large foodborne outbreaks across Europe.

AB - A genomic cluster of Salmonella Braenderup ST22, a serovar of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica which causes symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, was notified by Danish authorities to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on 3 May 2021. By 6 July 2021, S. Braenderup outbreak cases (n = 348) had been reported from 12 countries in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK), including 68 hospitalised cases. With support from affected EU/EEA countries, and in partnership with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), ECDC established an international outbreak investigation team to rapidly identify the source and prevent outbreak spread. Consumption information was shared with affected countries through a standard line list, revealing that 124 of 197 cases (63%) reported having eaten (any) melons within 7 days prior to disease onset. The speed and completeness of the investigation, which identified the outbreak vehicle as galia melons imported from Honduras in June 2021, was a direct result of extensive collaboration and information sharing between countries' national food safety and public health authorities. This article describes the outbreak and the benefits, successes, and challenges of multi-country collaboration for consideration in future large foodborne outbreaks across Europe.

KW - Humans

KW - Salmonella/genetics

KW - Disease Outbreaks

KW - Europe/epidemiology

KW - Salmonella Food Poisoning/epidemiology

KW - Salmonella enterica/genetics

U2 - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.1.2300273

DO - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.1.2300273

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38179625

VL - 29

JO - Eurosurveillance

JF - Eurosurveillance

SN - 1025-496X

IS - 1

ER -