There has been a steady rise in the number of people in Ireland becoming ill from campylobacteriosis, an infection spread from animals.
According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), its 2005 report on zoonotic diseases (which are spread from animals to people) has found that campylobacteriosis was the predominant human zoonosis reported in 2005.
In all, 1,803 incidents were reported from the official agencies and laboratories which collect and analyse the data on zoonotic agents in humans, animals, food and feed.
"The incidence of campylobacteriosis in Ireland has been increasing since 2001 with children under five years appearing to be most vulnerable," said the FSAI.
"Cryptosporidiosis has emerged as a significant zoonotic threat to public health in Ireland in recent years, as reflected by the increased incidence in 2004 and 2005," said the report.
"In total, 570 cases of cryptsporidiosis were reported in 2005 (14.6 per 100,000 population), compared to 432 cases notified in 2004. Of the cases reported 62 per cent, 351 cases, were in children under five years old," the report said.
It also reported a continuing decline in the incidence of human salmonellosis in Ireland in 2005, its lowest level since 1993.
It said that a total of 349 cases were reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre in 2005, down from 415 cases reported in 2004.
It also said there had been 125 cases of VTEC, verotoxigenic producing Escherichia coli, in 2005, 32 per cent higher than the reported cases in 2003, the highest year prior to that.
"This suggests that the decline in the incidence rate observed in 2004 may have been temporary and that this disease continues to be a serious health threat, particularly for vulnerable groups. A significant portion of the human disease in 2005 was as a result of 19 outbreaks that affected 65 people. The largest VTEC outbreak in Ireland to date occurred in the Mid-Western Health Executive area.
"The outbreak involved 18 cases where two children were hospitalised with haemolytic uraemic syndrome and one required peritoneal dialysis," it said.
The FSAI report said that while it is possible for anybody to become infected with a zoonotic agent, certain sub-populations such as the very yourng or elderly and immuno-compromised people, were particularly vulnerable with potentially more serious consequences.
"However, the impact of zoonoses on the health of humans and animals can be limited by monitoring the reservoirs of infectious zoonotic agents with a view to understanding and controlling their modes of transfer, while simultaneously educating the public about the risk of infection and how it can best be avoided or at least restricted," the report concluded.