The UK Well being Safety Company has reported an 8% rise from 2023 to 702 instances final 12 months
UK vacationers are being alerted to a surge in typhoid fever instances, with the UK Well being Safety Company noting an 8% enhance in incidents from 2023, with numbers reaching 702 final 12 months.
Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, critical however preventable illnesses attributable to Salmonella micro organism, are usually transmitted via contaminated meals or water. The UKHSA beforehand stated: “Typhoid throughout the Victorian period was extremely frequent and stays so in components of the world the place there may be poor sanitation and restricted entry to scrub water.”
The UKHSA’s newest assertion confirmed that typhoid is predominantly contracted abroad in areas with insufficient hygiene practices and sanitation. The Company warned: “Earlier surveillance has additionally highlighted a regarding rise in antibiotic-resistant typhoid in Pakistan, which reduces the effectiveness of generally used antibiotics, impacting the response to therapy, and growing the chance of issues.” Keep knowledgeable on the newest well being information by signing as much as our e-newsletter right here
The assertion additional provides that whereas some travellers can obtain a complimentary typhoid vaccine from their GP, sadly, no vaccine exists to fight paratyphoid. Moreover, the UKHSA has noticed an alarming quantity of malaria diagnoses amongst people returning to the UK.
The Company identified: “Provisional information reveals that imported malaria instances stay at regarding ranges within the UK regardless of a slight lower in diagnoses to 1,812 in 2024 from 2,106 in 2023. These figures considerably exceed the degrees seen in recent times,” reviews the Liverpool Echo.
“Most instances have been reported throughout peak summer season journey months between July and October. Malaria is probably deadly however virtually totally preventable when antimalarial tablets are taken appropriately.”
Dr Philip Veal, Marketing consultant in Public Well being at UKHSA, has urged holidaymakers to stay vigilant, stating: “We’re seeing excessive ranges of infections comparable to malaria and typhoid in returning travellers. It is vital that travellers stay alert and plan forward of going overseas – even should you’re visiting associates and kinfolk overseas or it is someplace you go to typically.
“The Journey Well being Professional web site has data on find out how to preserve your self and household wholesome, together with what vaccines to get, any vital treatment comparable to anti-malaria tablets, and find out how to keep away from gastrointestinal infections comparable to typhoid and hepatitis A. If you’re pregnant or making an attempt to conceive there are particular precautions you need to take, so communicate to a healthcare skilled earlier than planning your journey.”
Dr Diana Ayoola Mabayoje, co-founder of African Diaspora Malaria Initiative (ADMI), added: “Most UK malaria instances happen in Black African folks coming back from journey to Africa. Neighborhood engagement of the African Diaspora in malaria prevention is essential to cut back imported malaria within the UK.
“The African Diaspora Malaria Initiative (ADMI) is main this cost with our upcoming ‘Africans Towards Malaria’ marketing campaign. It would straight deal with the perceptions, beliefs, and behaviours that hinder malaria prevention uptake amongst the UK African diaspora and signpost the place to acquire malaria chemoprophylaxis.”
The UKHSA has suggested travellers to hunt medical recommendation from their GP, observe nurse, pharmacist, or journey clinic at the least 4 to six weeks earlier than travelling for personalised recommendation, obligatory vaccinations, and malaria prevention tablets, relying on their vacation spot. Those that may have the dengue vaccine ought to seek the advice of a healthcare supplier 3 to 4 months previous to their journey.
Encouragingly, there was a lower in dengue instances reported in England, Wales, and Northern Eire within the first quarter of 2025, with solely 65 instances in comparison with 254 in the identical interval final 12 months.
The UKHSA famous that almost all dengue infections have been related to journey to Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand.
The company highlighted: “Dengue instances have elevated considerably globally over the previous 5 years, with exceptionally excessive ranges in 2023 and 2024, and the sustained transmission of dengue is an ongoing international well being problem.”
The UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) has urged holidaymakers to verify their vacation spot on the Journey Well being Professional web site, which offers data on well being dangers in international locations worldwide. In nations the place bugs unfold illnesses comparable to dengue, malaria or Zika virus an infection, travellers can safeguard themselves by utilizing insect repellent, masking uncovered pores and skin, and sleeping underneath an insecticide-treated mattress internet when air-con is just not out there.
The UKHSA additionally suggested travellers to: “Guarantee your routine childhood vaccines are updated. Have any advisable journey associated vaccines.
“A free typhoid vaccination is accessible from GP surgical procedures for some travellers, although no vaccine exists for paratyphoid.
“Fill up on obligatory drugs together with malaria prevention tablets. Get legitimate journey insurance coverage to cowl your whole journey and deliberate actions.”
