Early 2025 UK data shows continued rise in infections
Recent data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that infections in Salmonella and Campylobacter in England continue to increase.
There was a growing trend in the number of confirmed laboratory reports for Campylobacter and Salmonella from 2023 in the first quarter of 2025.
Campylobacter laboratory reports increased from 60,055 to 2023 to 70,352 in 2024. The figures for the first quarter (T1) of each year indicate an increase of 10,588 reports in the first quarter of 2023 to 12,985 in the first quarter of 2024, then at 15,838 in the first quarter of 2025.
Salmonella went from 8,872 in 2023 to 10,388 in 2024. In the first quarter of 2023, there were 1,328 reports, against 1,541 in the first quarter of 2024 and 1,588 in T1 2025.
Epidemics of Campylobacter and Salmonella
In 2024, nine epidemics of Campylobacter were reported to the UKHSA. They affected 122 people, 28 of whom were laboratory confirmed cases. The largest epidemics were associated with the consumption of liver or products containing chicken or lamb liver such as a pâté or a perfect. Three epidemics were reported in home care and the other six were linked to eating in pubs or restaurants, or during events. The most important incident had 61 cases and was caused by a chicken liver scent consumed in a stadium.
Seven Salmonella epidemics were reported in 2024. They reported 304 people, 280 of whom were confirmed in the laboratory. Epidemics were associated with various food vehicles, including eggs, tomatoes and red meat products.
An epidemic of Salmonella Typhimurium was the largest incident with 109 cases. It was allocated to red meat. An epidemic of Salmonella Blockley assigned 81 people and was linked to tomatoes. The tomatoes were also blamed for an epidemic of Salmonella Strathcona with 24 patients.
Two epidemics of Salmonella Enteritidis had 24 boxes and were caused by eggs served in restaurants. The source of an epidemic of Salmonella Anatum with 37 cases was not found.
E. coli and Listeria epidemics
There were five national epidemics of Toxine Shiga, toxin producers (STEC) in 2024 involving 362 people in England, 348 of whom were confirmed in the laboratory. All epidemics were caused by Stec not O157. The surveys identified the source of three epidemics. These were caused by a beef product, fresh fruit and salad leaves.
Three epidemics affecting 64, 56 and 13 people were caused by E. coli O26. An epidemic of E. Coli O103 with an unknown source had 33 patients and 10 hospitalizations. Stec O145 was the source of the biggest incident with 196 patients after eating salad leaves.
There were seven epidemics of Listeria Monocytogenes in England. Two also included cases in Wales. The number of cases confirmed in the laboratory was 44. The surveys identified the source of five epidemics. They were traced with smoked fish, garlic sausage, chocolate or strawberry foam and predisted sandwiches – all considered high -risk food for listeriosis in vulnerable groups.
Fifteen deaths were reported in Listeria’s epidemics. The biggest incident reported 19 people.
There were 32 cryptosporidium epidemics with 25 caused by cryptosporidium parvum. Overall, 1,544 people were sick, 547 of which were confirmed in the laboratory. Twenty-four epidemics were linked to commercial farms organizing lamb events or to open or caress farms. Three epidemics were associated with childcare services and educational environments, one with milkshakes and another with the consumption of contaminated drinking water.
Four epidemics reported more than 100 people. Three of them were on farms organizing public lamb events and the other was the drinking water epidemic. In total, 781 people fell ill in an epidemic while 482 were affected in another.
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