Cyclosporiasis in Mexico

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported an increase of cyclosporiasis in travellers returning from Mexico. Between 12 May and 14 August 2023, 48 cases were reported in England, Wales and Scotland.

Most reported staying in different hotels in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions of Mexico. Most reported consuming a wide variety of food and drink as part of an all-inclusive holiday package.

Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic diarrhoeal disease.

• Infection occurs by ingesting food or water contaminated by infective oocysts.
• Fresh raw fruit and vegetables imported from or consumed in endemic countries are associated with infection.

Advice for Travellers

Travellers should be advised to practice good food and water precautions. In particular, they should be advised that Cyclospora is not killed by most water purification methods such as tablets, portable filtration systems or disinfectants (including standard water chlorination).

In endemic areas the risk of infection is reduced by:

• consuming only boiled or bottled water
• avoiding fresh raw fruit and vegetables that cannot be peeled prior to consumption, especially berries, herbs and salad leaves (washing food in potable water is unlikely to remove the oocysts from the surface of the fruit/vegetables)

See the TRAVAX Cyclosporiasis page for further information.