The number of people who fell ill from salmonella rose again in 2024. The bacterium was also detected more frequently at poultry farms. In particular, Salmonella Enteritidis appeared often. Cases of bird flu, on the other hand, were lower than the year before. This is reported in the Staat van Zoönosen 2024, the annual publication from RIVM and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Salmonella remains persistent. The bacterium can be found in eggs, chicken, or other types of meat, and it spreads easily. It often sits on the eggshell. Those who handle raw eggs and fail to wash their hands properly can unknowingly ingest it. Eating raw or undercooked eggs, chicken, or meat can also cause infection. In 2024, more chickens were infected with Salmonella Enteritidis than in 2023. The reason for this increase is still unclear and currently under investigation.
At poultry farms, two cases of bird flu (type H5N1) were detected in 2024 — fewer than in 2023. No human infections with the virus were reported in the Netherlands.
Remarkably, a cat in the Netherlands was infected with a lyssavirus in 2024 for the first time — a form of rabies found in bats. In the United States, an outbreak of bird flu occurred among dairy cows. Dutch cows were tested but showed no signs of the disease.
New this year is that the Staat van Zoönosen also includes information about diseases transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes. In 2024, there were no domestic cases of dengue, malaria, or West Nile virus. Some people, however, contracted these diseases abroad.
Source: RIVM
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