Salmonella Cases in England Hit Highest Number Seen in a Decade
The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that the number of Campylobacter and Salmonella infections in England remained high or increased in 2025, while listeriosis cases stayed stable from the previous year.
England Sees Most Salmonella Cases in a Decade
In 2025, England saw 10,406 non-typhoidal salmonellosis cases, which is a slight increase from 2024 (10,389 cases) and the highest figure in a decade. S. Enteritidis was the most frequently reported serovar; however, laboratory reports decreased from 3,166 in 2024 to 3,104 in 2025. Additionally, reports of S. Typhimurium—the second most commonly reported serovar—decreased from 1,698 in 2024 to 1,616 in 2025.
Children below the age of ten saw the greatest number of cases (2,094), and September was the peak month for Salmonella reporting in 2025 (1,424 cases).
A total of 13 salmonellosis outbreaks were reported to national surveillance in 2025, comprising 269 cases (258 laboratory-confirmed) and resulting in 33 hospitalizations and no deaths. These outbreaks were associated with the consumption of a variety of food vehicles, including shelled eggs, dairy, poultry, and raw onions.
Campylobacter Cases Remain High
Campylobacteriosis cases in 2025 in England remained high and comparable to 2024, although they fell slightly, from 70,392 in 2024 to 69,394 in 2025 (1.4 percent decrease).
Only 23.9 percent of laboratory reports were speciated, the majority of which (88.3 percent of speciated samples) were C. jejuni. Additionally, 756 Campylobacter isolates underwent whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis at the UK National Campylobacter Reference Laboratory, of which 82.8 percent were C. jejuni. The most prevalent clonal complexes identified were Sequence Type (ST)-21, ST-464, and ST-353.
Of the seven foodborne campylobacteriosis outbreaks reported to national surveillance, three were likely associated with consumption of chicken or chicken products, and another involved lamb liver. Two outbreaks were reported in healthcare settings, and three outbreaks were linked to eating at foodservice establishments or catered events. The seven outbreaks comprised 30 cases (20 laboratory-confirmed), resulting in eight hospitalizations and no deaths.
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UKHSA suggested that the high campylobacteriosis incidence seen in 2024 and 2025 could be due to better testing methods increasing the number of detections and climate-related factors.
Other data consistently show that chicken meat is the dominant source of campylobacteriosis in the UK, and campylobacteriosis is the nation’s leading cause of foodborne illness. In May 2026, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) published the findings from a systematic scientific assessment of interventions for Campylobacter on chicken meat, from farm to fork.
Listeria Infections Stay Stable
In 2025, 181 cases of listeriosis were reported in England and Wales, which is comparable to the 179 cases seen in 2024. More than one-fifth of cases (40 cases or 22.1 percent) were pregnancy-associated, 11 of which resulted in the loss of the baby.
Of the 141 non-pregnancy cases, 28 people died. Incidence rates of listeriosis were highest in people aged 80 years or older.
There were four foodborne listeriosis outbreaks in England, linked to smoked fish, mousse products, ready meals, and prepacked cooked chicken and ready-to-eat (RTE) sandwiches.
