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Food and waterborne infections affect millions of people around the world. The social cost, in terms of suffering and loss of life, together with the economic burden is enormous.
Although we are seeing a decrease in the incidence of some pathogen induced diseases, new and re-emerging infections are occurring. More people are susceptible to infection – the elderly are living longer and there are many immuno-suppressed cancer, HIV and transplant patients.
Food is often eaten far from where it was produced. Consumer habits have changed, with more people eating out, travelling widely and trying new foods. Pathogens can enter the food chain at any stage of production, processing and consumption.
Scientists are tackling the challenges that food and water pathogens present by finding out how these bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi get into foods, how they survive processing and how disease is transmitted and by studying the epidemiology of infection and the pathogenicity of the causative organisms. Novel detection methods are also being developed. Up-to date information on all these topics will be presented at Society for General Microbiology (SGM) meetings in 2007.
Society for General Microbiology is based in Reading, UK. www.sgm.ac.uk/meetings.