News in Brief
HPS: Salmonella most often associated with overseas outbreaks
It was reported from 20 potential outbreaks.
Since 2011, Salmonella has been the most frequently reported pathogen in every year except 2015, when Cryptosporidium topped the list.
In 2017, information concerned 35 potential outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease in people returning to Scotland from abroad. This was a decrease compared to 47 potential overseas outbreaks in 2016.
Spain (including the Balearic Islands) was the most frequently reported country (16 outbreaks), reflecting the fact it has the greatest number of visitors.
The second and third were Turkey (six) and Mexico (five) which was the same as 2016.
A potential outbreak of infectious intestinal disease abroad is defined as two or more confirmed cases of infection or at least one confirmed case where others are alleged to have been ill.
The largest single overseas outbreak was Cyclospora among travellers returning from Mexico, with 27 laboratory confirmed cases in Scotland and infections in others parts of the UK.
It was the third consecutive year the UK has experienced an outbreak of Cyclospora from Mexico.
