Dataset Information

The Quantity and Quality of Illegally Imported Products of Animal Origin in Personal Consignments into the European Union Seized at Two German Airports between 2010 And 2014.

ABSTRACT: The import of products of animal origin (POAO) in travellers' personal consignments presents a considerable risk of introducing animal diseases and emerging zoonoses into the European Union. The current regulation (EU) 206/2009 implements strict measures for illegally imported POAO, whereupon non-complying products have to be seized and destroyed regardless. Especially airports serve as global bottlenecks for illegally imported POAO where passenger controls of non-European flights are performed by customs and veterinary services in collaboration. Results of these control measures have to be submitted in the form of annual reports to the European Commission. However, few data on qualities and quantities of seizures have been published so far. In this study, POAO seized at two German airports between 2010 and 2014 were analysed in terms of quantities, qualitative categories and region of origin. In most years considered, more than 20 tonnes POAO were seized at each airport. However, reported amounts of seizures seem to be only the tip of the iceberg as an all-passenger control is not feasible and therefore travellers are only spot-checked. The analysis suggests that the organisational structures of both customs and official veterinary services and their different risk perceptions interfere in completing an effective ban on the illegal import of POAO.

SUBMITTER: Jansen W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4762665 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The Quantity and Quality of Illegally Imported Products of Animal Origin in Personal Consignments into the European Union Seized at Two German Airports between 2010 And 2014.

Jansen Wiebke W Merkle Majella M Daun Anna A Flor Matthias M Grabowski Nils Th NT Klein Günter G

PloS one 20160222 2

The import of products of animal origin (POAO) in travellers' personal consignments presents a considerable risk of introducing animal diseases and emerging zoonoses into the European Union. The current regulation (EU) 206/2009 implements strict measures for illegally imported POAO, whereupon non-complying products have to be seized and destroyed regardless. Especially airports serve as global bottlenecks for illegally imported POAO where passenger controls of non-European flights are performed ...[more]

PMID: 26901158

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Project description:The frequent movement of population between countries brings an increasing number of travel-related infections. This study aims to define the spectrum and dynamics of imported infections observed from international travel in the Chinese mainland. Sick travellers were screened by inbound sentinel surveillance and post-travel clinic visits from 2014 to 18. The infections were classified as respiratory, gastrointestinal, vector-borne, blood/sexually transmitted and mucocutaneous. The analysed variables included the place of origin of the travellers (Chinese or foreign) and the time when travel-related infection was present (at the time of return, during travel and post-travel visits to the clinic). In total, 58 677 cases were identified amongst 1 409 265 253 travellers, with an incidence of 41.64/million, comprising during-travel incidence of 27.44/million and a post-travel incidence of 14.20/million. Respiratory infections constituted the highest proportion of illnesses during travel (81.19%, 31 393 of 38 667), which mainly came from Asian countries and tourists; with influenza virus and rhinovirus infections being mainly diagnosed. Vector-borne diseases constituted the highest proportion of post-travel illnesses (98.14%, 19 638 of 20 010), which were mainly diagnosed from African countries and labourers; with malaria and dengue fever being mainly diagnosed. The differential infection spectrum varied in terms of the traveller's demography, travel destination and travel purpose. As such, a higher proportion of foreign travellers had blood/sexually transmitted diseases (89.85%, 2832 of 3152), while Chinese citizens had a higher prevalence of vector-borne diseases (85.98%, 19 247 of 22 387) and gastrointestinal diseases (79.36%, 1115 of 1405). The highest incidence rate was observed amongst travellers arriving from Africa, while the lowest was observed amongst travellers arriving from Europe. The findings might help in preparing recommendations for travellers and also aid in primary care or other clinics that prepare travellers before trips abroad. The findings will also help to identify locations and the associated types of infections that might require attention.

Dataset Information

The Quantity and Quality of Illegally Imported Products of Animal Origin in Personal Consignments into the European Union Seized at Two German Airports between 2010 And 2014.

Publications

The Quantity and Quality of Illegally Imported Products of Animal Origin in Personal Consignments into the European Union Seized at Two German Airports between 2010 And 2014.

Similar Datasets

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