Foodborne viruses — an emerging pathogens

Viral foodborne illnesses which have become a significant cause of all reported foodborne illnesses in recent years and considered as an emerging risk in veterinary public health. Foodborne transmission can occur by contamination of food by infected food handlers, by contamination of food during the production process and by consumption of products of animal origin harboring a zoonotic virus. Microbiological genomics studies discovered that noroviruses and hepatitis A viruses were primarily associated with food-handler transmission and sewage-contaminated foods while hepatitis E was associated with consumption of raw or undercooked meat of pig or wild animals. Routine harmonized surveillance of viral outbreaks, and surveillance of virus occurrence in food commodities, in combination with systematic strain typing, and joint expertise from veterinary, food, and clinical microbiologists would be recommended to aid source attribution studies and identify risk prevention measures.