UK travel alert: Parasite outbreak 'Yersinia' causing bloody diarrhoea in holiday hotspots including France

Brit travellers heading abroad this summer have been alerted to a food-borne parasite causing bloody diarrhoea, which has affected 136 people across four countries. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has reported an outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica, linked to the consumption of cheese, impacting multiple holiday destinations.

The bacteria, which causes yersiniosis, is typically transmitted through contaminated food, particularly raw or undercooked pork. It can also spread through contact with infected individuals, contaminated milk, untreated water, or animals. The ECDC identified raw milk goat cheese produced in France as "a vehicle of infection."

Between January and July 11 this year, France reported 133 cases of yersiniosis. "An unusually high consumption of raw milk goat cheese, a specialty from southeast France, was observed among the cases," the ECDC said.

In response to the outbreak, products have been recalled. The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France recorded the highest number of cases, with 57 people falling ill. The affected individuals ranged in age from three to 85, with 57 percent being women. "But cases have been identified in all regions of mainland France," the ECDC added.

Symptoms of Yersinia infections vary by age, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Young children often experience fever, stomach pain, and bloody diarrhoea. Older children and adults may suffer from abdominal pain, which can be mistaken for appendicitis, along with fever. Sore throats are also a symptom in children.

Other cases have been reported in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Norway. In Belgium, a man contracted a Yersinia enterocolitica infection in April, with an identical sequence - biotype 2, serotype O:9 - to the French cases. Luxembourg reported a case in April, and Norway identified one in March.

The outbreak was highlighted in a Communicable Disease Threats Report published by the ECDC on July 12. The most recent report, published on July 19, indicated that the outbreak is under "active monitoring".

"Given the distribution of the implicated products in several EU/EEA countries, the risk of contracting yersiniosis is high among consumers who have bought the implicated products or have been exposed in other settings before control measures have taken effect," the health watchdog warned.

The ECDC also said new cases might emerge in European countries or older cases could be identified retrospectively. "The reported cases may represent a small fraction of all cases due to lack of referred isolates and routine sequencing. As control measures have been implemented in countries, this reduces the risk for further human infections related to this event."

What is Yersinia enterocolitica?

According to the Government website, Yersiniosis is a gastrointestinal infection caused by a type of bacteria called Yersinia. The most common Yersinia species causing disease in humans is Yersinia enterocolitica which can cause a range of symptoms including watery diarrhoea, sometimes with blood in stool, severe stomach pain, fever and vomiting.

Symptoms begin 4 to 7 days after acquiring the bacterium. Most people with Yersinia infection recover quickly (within 1 to 3 weeks), often without any treatment. Rarely, Yersinia can cause more severe illness with symptoms lasting up to 8 weeks and require appropriate antibiotics for treatment.

Yersinia bacteria are usually acquired by eating or drinking contaminated food, including undercooked meat, unpasteurised milk products or contaminated water. The bacteria can also spread via person-to-person or direct contact with infected animals.

To help avoid spreading an infection, wash your hands with soap and water frequently, wash any clothing or bedding that has poo or vomit on it separately on a hot wash and clean toilet seats, flush handles, taps, surfaces and door handles every day.