Salmonellosis - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2022

Salmonellosis is the second most commonly reported gastrointestinal infection in the EU/EEA, and a significant cause of food-borne outbreaks.

In 2022, 65 967 laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonellosis were reported in the EU/EEA, out of which 81 were fatal – a rate of 15.5 cases per 100 000 population. Case numbers rose in 2022 after a significant decline in cases in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet were still lower than pre-pandemic levels.

The reported case rate was highest in young children (0−4 years) with 81.5 cases per 100 000 population, ten times higher than in adults (25–64 years).

Egg and egg products continue to be the highest risk foods in Salmonella outbreaks, although the largest outbreak in the EU/EEA in 2022 was from chocolate.

Resistance to antimicrobials used in the treatment of severe salmonellosis increased for fluoroquinolones during 2018-2022 but remained low and stable for 3rd generation cephalosporins.