Temperature, precipitation, humidity, and soil properties are important environmental factors that influence the spread and survival of zoonotic pathogens. Changes in these environmental factors as a result of climate change, such as permanently elevated ambient temperatures, in-creasing precipitation, but also water scarcity, may contribute to the spread and survival of pathogens.
Climate change may thus exert an increasing influence on more than half of all infectious diseases. This is not only true for already existing, i. e. endemic, infectious agents; climatic changes also favour the establishment of novel infectious agents (emergence) as well as the return of pathogens sup-pressed in the past (re-emergence). For example, in the
future, agriculture may have to rely more frequently on treated wastewater due to water scarcity, which will be ex- acerbated by climate change. This poses a number of risks
to food safety, including contamination of irrigated produce by various types of pathogens.
This review addresses hazards to human health posed by the most important foodborne bacteria, parasites and marine biotoxins in Germany and presents recommendations for reducing the risks. For example, the risk of all infections discussed here can be reduced by observing good hygiene during food preparation (kitchen hygiene) and adherence to cold chains.
FoodWorld 