Warning as cases of deadly food poisoning bugs reach highest levels in a decade – plus 6 ways to protect yourself

Scottish Sun

2 days ago

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CASES of deadly food poisoning bugs have reached the highest levels in a decade, health bosses have warned.
There's been significant rise in Campylobacter and Salmonella infections in England compared to the previous year, the latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) annual data shows.
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Cases of food poisoning from Campylobacter bacteria are the highest in a decade
Credit: Getty
The health watchdog shared six key ways you can protect yourself from the bugs, which are common causes of food poisoning.
They can bring on vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain and a temperature but can be dangerous to young children, elderly and people with a weakened immune system.
UKHSA said these groups should take extra care as they are at higher risk of developing severe illness.
Campylobacter infections increased by 17 per cent between 2023 and 2014 - from 60,055 to 70,352.
This represents the highest number of cases recorded in the past decade, according to UKHSA.
Almost half of the cases - 44 per cent - were reported in adults aged 50 to 79.
Salmonella infections also reached a decade high, according to data.
They rose by with a 17 per cent as well, from 8,872 cases in 2023 to 10,388 cases in 2024.
Children under 10 years old were particularly affected, accounting for 21 per cent of cases.
UKHSA and Food Standard Agency (FSA) experts are further invetigating the infections to understand why they're increasing.
Three dead and two hospitalised after food poisoning outbreak linked to desserts in NHS hospitals
Dr Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director, Gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA said: "Our extensive surveillance is showing high levels of gastrointestinal infections in England.
"We continue to work closely with partners to detect, investigate and halt the spread of infections."
Dr James Cooper, deputy director of food policy at the FSA, said: "The FSA works closely with UKHSA and other partners to monitor and assess the latest foodborne disease data.
"We are working together to understand the reasons behind the rise in Campylobacter and Salmonella cases, as well as trends in other pathogens.
"This analysis will help us take the necessary action to protect public health."
UKHSA data also showed a decrease in cases of the parasite Cryptosporidium - falling by 16 per cent between 2023 and 2024 to 5,708 cases.
Do I have food poisoning?
Food poisoning is rarely serious and usually gets better within a week.
It's hard to miss the symptoms, which include: Feeling sick (nausea)
Diarrhoea
Being sick (vomiting)
Stomach cramps
A high temperature of 38C or above
Feeling generally unwell – such as feeling tired or having aches and chills
The symptoms usually start within a few days of eating the food that caused the infection.
Sometimes they start after a few hours or not for a few weeks
How to treat food poisoning
You can usually treat yourself or your child at home.
The symptoms usually pass within a week.
The most important thing is to have lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration.
You should also see a doctor if along with other symptoms you have high fever, blood in your stool, or feel dehydrated or unable to keep any food or liquid down.
Make sure you stay off school or work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days.
Source: NHS
But experts said this was still the second highest number of cases reported in the past decade.
Cryptosporidium cases were unusually high in April 2014 due to bug outbreaks linked to petting farms and an outbreak in South Devon linked to mains water.
All the above bugs can cause similar symptoms upon infection.
This can include diarrhoea - which can sometimes be bloody - stomach pains and cramps, vomiting and mild fever.
Whilst most people recover within one to two weeks of infection, young children, elderly people and those with weak immunity are at higher risk of developing serious illness or complications, which can be life threatening.
How to protect yourself from food poisoning
Campylobacter and Salmonella infections are usually caught by eating food contaminated with the bacteria.
This can include poultry, meat, eggs, raw fruit or vegetables, and unpasteurised milk products.
However, you can also pick up food poisoning through close contact infected people – particularly if you live with them.
Cross contamination in the kitchen, like using the same utensils for cooked and uncooked foods, can pass on the bacteria too.
Dr Cooper said described ways you can sidestep nasty infections.
He said: "When preparing food at home, people can reduce their risk of food poisoning by following good hygiene practices and by following advice on the 'four Cs' of food hygiene: chilling, cleaning, cooking, and avoiding cross-contamination.'
This means:
Cooking food correctly by following the guidance on time and temperature on product labels Chilling your food below 5 degrees to stop or significantly slow the growth of bacteria Cleaning food equipment and surfaces thoroughly to stop harmful bacteria and viruses from spreading onto food Avoiding cross-contamination which might lead to bacteria passing from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods via things like re-usable shopping bags, knives and chopping boards, cloths and work surfaces Using food and drink by the 'use by' date on the label, even if it looks and smells fine – eating food after this date could put your health at risk as you can't smell or taste bacteria which make you ill Having good personal hygiene when you're preparing food to help ensure that bacteria you may have come into contact with isn't passed to your friends, family and neighbours in their food
Dr Godbole explained what good personal hygiene can look like.
"Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet or handling raw meat, before meals and after contact with animals or farms can prevent infections.
"Additionally, anyone experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting should avoid handling or preparing food for others.
"Don't return to work, and children should not attend school or nursery, until at least 48 hours after symptoms have subsided."