In previous years, between 3% and 6% of the tested flocks were positive for Campylobacter. It was also noteworthy that a few farms delivered the majority of Campylobacter-positive flocks in 2016.

Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was detected, for the first time in Norway, in a milk sample from a dairy cow. The bacteria were most likely introduced to the cow herd from humans, which emphasises the role of humans as a reservoir of resistant bacteria to animals. If these bacteria become established in the animal population they may in turn transmit back to humans. Globalisation and increased travel among humans increases the likelihood of introducing resistant bacteria to Norwegian animals.

In humans the situation with respect to zoonoses was also favourable; the exception was E. coli (VTEC) for which the number of cases continued to rise. The increase observed in the last years can, in part, be explained by altered diagnostics, but the development is concerning because the infection can cause serious disease.