EFSABOD - Burden of zoonoses in European Union and EEA/EFTA countries

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has initiated a four-year Framework Service Contract with an international research consortium led by Sciensano (Belgium), in partnership with Ghent University (Belgium), DTU (Denmark), RIVM (the Netherlands) and Utrecht University (the Netherlands). The project, titled ‘Burden of zoonoses in European Union and EEA/EFTA countries’, aims to provide a detailed estimate of the dual burden of nine specified foodborne zoonoses in humans and animals across Europe. This includes assessing both the direct and indirect costs associated with these diseases, as well as developing an integrated methodological framework that combines health impact and economic estimates. 

The project aims to offer insights that can drive policy and practical interventions for reducing the impact of these zoonoses, ultimately improving public and animal health across Europe. EFSA is collaborating with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on this initiative.

Objectives:

1. Estimate the dual burden (zDALYs) of campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, listeriosis, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), zoonotic tuberculosis, brucellosis, trichinellosis, echinococcosis, and yersiniosis in EU Member States and EEA/EFTA countries.
2. Estimate the possible tangible (direct and indirect costs) and intangible costs of human and animal disease not considered in zDALYs for the nine specified foodborne zoonoses.
3. Develop a methodological framework to combine zDALYs and costs estimates into an overall metric (OVERALL) for the specified nine foodborne zoonoses.