“According to WHO global estimates, every year one in 10 people falls ill from eating food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances; over 200 diseases are caused by the consumption of contaminated food and 40% of Foodborne diseases affect children under 5 years of age. Foodborne diseases therefore constitute a major challenge for public health and are a clear example of the importance of an integrated ‘One Health’ approach to the control of diseases such as listeriosis of outbreaks of salmonella infections cannot be effective except through coordinated work between human health, animal health, food safety and environmental professionals”. Thus Francesco Vairo, head of Seresmi, during the course ‘Food-borne diseases: from diagnosis to public health actions’, held today at the Inmi Spallanzani in Rome.
“The fundamental element is then individual prevention through the knowledge and application of some basic rules in the handling, preparation and conservation of food such as hand washing, adequate cooking, adequate storage temperatures that allow us to avoid getting sick and keep our loved ones safe from foodborne illnesses,” Vairo added.
“For optimal management of food-borne diseases – he concluded – a joint multidisciplinary approach is needed which involves different fields including clinical medicine, epidemiology, laboratory medicine, veterinary medicine, microbiology and chemical chemistry. food, food safety and control, communication and risk management”.
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