ABSTRACT

Foodborne diseases (FBDs) are dened as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic, or both, in nature and are commonly transmitted through ingested food. FBDs comprise a broad group of illnesses caused by microbial pathogens, parasites, chemical contaminants, and biotoxins (Tauxe et  al., 2010). FBDs have signicant effects on health and economic development at national, regional, and global level, for example, those caused by Campylobacter. However, reliable data on the potential causes and the associated foodborne sources and vehicles for transmission are often limited. According to Chiller et al. (2005), this lack of data limits our understanding of FBDs, their burden, and their impact on public health. This calls for an urgent need for better surveillance data in order to inform policy and practice for a range of stakeholders.