Cases decreased by 27.2 percent from the previous year. Although Cryptosporidium can be transmitted through routes other than food, the parasite can enter the food supply through contaminated irrigation water and contact with excrement during cultivation, harvesting, and handling.
In England, cases of both Campylobacter and Salmonella infection increased by 17.1 percent from 2023 to 2024—the highest rates seen in a decade—according to the latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) annual data.
The executive summary includes global risk characterizations for parasite-food commodity combinations for Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Giardia, Toxoplasma gondii, and other foodborne protozoan parasites.
For those foodborne illnesses where a specific food item was identified, vegetables represented the single largest food category in terms of reported illness cases, followed by composite meals, seafood, and buffet food.
A recent literature review has provided an overview of the impacts of climate change on significant foodborne pathogens, parasites, and toxins; specifically, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Vibrio, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and marine biotoxins.
