Major foodborne pathogens: food vehicles, global frequency, and clinical significance.
| Pathogen | Primary food vehicle(s) | Global frequency | Severe outcomes (CFR/HUS) | Key reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmonella spp. | Poultry, eggs, fresh produce, spices | Very high (~93.8 million cases/year globally) | ~155,000 deaths/year | WHO [1]; Scallan et al. [3] |
| Campylobacter spp. | Poultry, raw milk, contaminated water | Highest in EU; ~96 million cases/year globally | Rare mortality; Guillain-Barré risk | EFSA [4]; Havelaar et al. [2] |
| Listeria monocytogenes | RTE meats, soft cheeses, smoked fish | Low incidence but highest CFR (~20–30%) | Perinatal, elderly: highest risk groups | Swaminathan and Gerner-Smidt [7] |
| Norovirus | Shellfish, fresh produce, ready-to-eat foods | Highest frequency: ~125 million cases/year | Low mortality; high transmission rate | Scallan et al. [3] |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Dairy, deli meats, bakery products | Common; frequently underreported | Self-limiting; rare severe cases | Todd et al. [35] |
| Clostridium perfringens | Cooked meat/poultry dishes, gravies | High; 2nd most common in US outbreaks | Low CFR; high morbidity burden | Scallan et al. [3] |
| Bacillus cereus | Rice, starchy foods, spices | Moderate-high; widespread in Asia | Low mortality; emetic/diarrheal syndromes | EFSA [4] |
| Unidentified agents | Multiple/unknown matrices | ~38–40% of reported outbreaks globally | Unknown; likely underestimated burden | CDC [8] |
STEC: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.