Warning to holidaymakers heading to Mexico over outbreak of serious stomach illness caused by a parasite lurking in food and drink at all-inclusive hotels
Dozens of Britons holidaying in Mexico have contracted a serious stomach ailment causing explosive diarrhoea, health officials warned today.
At least 74 people are known to have fallen ill with cyclosporiasis since May, more than half of whom have returned from the country.
Most were traced to all-inclusive hotels in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions, which attract thousands of Britons every year.
The unpleasant disease, which can also cause stomach cramps and flatulence, is caused by the consumption of food or drink contaminated with cyclospora, a microscopic parasite.
The illness can last for more than a month, but most cases resolve within a few days.
At least 74 people are known to have fallen ill with cyclosporiasis since May, more than half of whom have returned from the country. Most can be traced to all-inclusive hotels in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions, which attract thousands of Britons every year. In the photo, Cancún
Last year, a family took legal action against holiday giant TUI after they were stricken with the disease during their five-star luxury vacation to Mexico. They reported seeing flies, cats, birds and raccoons around the food, some of which were not refrigerated and served with dirty cutlery. The family also claimed they were bedridden for three days and still experiencing symptoms after returning to the UK. Pictured, Katie Richards, 33, (left) her husband Ashley, 34, (right) and their daughter Ruby (center)
While usually mild, it can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients.
Officials from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed that all 74 cases seen in the past three months have been reported in England, Scotland and Wales.
Slightly more than half were women, with an average age of 44 years. Travel information was known in 52 cases.
Forty-eight had been to Mexico. Theirs, 42 stayed in different hotels in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions, on the Caribbean coast.
Most reported eating a wide range of different foods and drinks at their hotel as part of an all-inclusive holiday package, UKHSA chefs said.
Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite (pictured), can cause explosive diarrhea, stomach cramps and flatulence. The illness can last for more than a month, but most cases resolve within a few days
Cyclospora is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including South and Central America, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Seasonal outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in British travelers returning from Mexico have been reported annually since 2015 – with the exception of 2020 and 2021 – with the number of cases fluctuating each year.
Some 79 cases were registered in the first year, rising to 359 in 2016. Last year only 36 cases were registered.
More than half a million Britons travel to the country every year.
Health officials warned those traveling to Mexico today to maintain good food and water hygiene at all times, even when staying at luxury all-inclusive resorts.
They advised tourists to choose freshly prepared foods that are thoroughly cooked and served piping hot.
Certain foods, including fresh uncooked berries and herbs, unpeeled fruits and salads, should be avoided as these are difficult to clean, they noted.
The stomach infection is diagnosed by testing stool samples, and while most cases clear up on their own, antibiotics may be given to treat severe or long-standing infections.
It comes after a family took legal action against holiday giant TUI last year after they were stricken with the disease during their five-star luxury holiday to Mexico.
They reported seeing flies, cats, birds and raccoons around the food, some of which were not refrigerated and served with dirty cutlery.
The family also claimed they were bedridden for three days and still experiencing symptoms after returning to the UK.