UKHSA WARNS TRAVELLERS OF CYCLOSPORA RISE LINKED TO MEXICO TRIPS

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a warning to travellers following a sharp rise in cyclospora infections among people returning from Mexico. Sixty-seven cases were recorded between April and July, according to UKHSA data. The parasite causes explosive diarrhoea alongside abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, loss of appetite and fever. Travel information was available for 52 of the 67 cases, with 48 linked to Mexico; one person also travelled to the United States, one visited the United States only, and one travelled to Kenya.

Cyclospora is commonly spread through contaminated food, particularly salad, soft fruit and herbs. The infection does not naturally occur in the UK and cannot spread between people, UKHSA stated. Most cases are mild and resolve within days without treatment, though some infections are more severe or prolonged, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, and may require antibiotics. The recorded figure of 67 cases between April and July represents a sharp rise compared with an annual average of 93 cases recorded between 2022 and 2025, the agency said.

Dr Philip Veal, consultant in travel health at UKHSA, advised travellers to Mexico and other areas where the infection is more common to follow good food and water hygiene measures. These include drinking bottled water and eating thoroughly cooked food, even when staying in high-end all-inclusive resorts. The cases were linked to hotels in popular tourist destinations in the Riviera Maya and Cancun regions. Of the 67 cases, 30 were reported in England, 27 in Scotland and 10 in Wales.