Warning over goat’s cheese after it’s linked to dozens of cases of gruesome parasite infection

Health investigators have linked goat’s cheese and bagged lettuce to outbreaks of a nasty diarrhoea bug.

Officials launched a probe after infections of the parasite cryptosporidium parvum increased around eight-fold in France last year.

The parasite can wreak havoc if humans swallow water or food which has been contaminated by infected people or animals, or by touching their stool.

This causes cryptosporidiosis, a highly infectious illness – with no effective drug treatment – that can trigger severe diarrhoea that lasts weeks.

In some cases, severe diarrhoea can become extremely life-threatening by leading to dangerous dehydration.

Cases of the bug surged in France to 166 between January and September last year, up from less than 20.

After investigating the rise, scientists found that 76 infections were part of two major outbreaks.

It comes two years after cryptosporidium was discovered in waters in Brixham, Devon.

That led to a major contamination event over 54 days which left more than 140 people suffering with sickness and diarrhoea.

And South West Water, responsible for the area, was fined £2million just last month. 

The first outbreak in France last year involved 45 people who became ill between April and June, with raw goat’s milk cheese the suspected cause. 

Of 23 patients interviewed by health officials, 17 reported eating goat’s milk cheese.

The reports were traced back to two dairy farms that supplied the milk to produce goat’s cheese.

But they denied having cryptosporidiosis in their herds and investigators were unable to prove that the cheese was contaminated because there were no batches to test.

Currently in Europe, there are no regulations to detect cryptosporidium in foods. 

The second outbreak involved another 31 people who fell ill between June and July last year.

One of them was even hospitalised.

This outbreak is believed to have been triggered by pre-packaged lamb’s lettuce.

Nineteen people in that spread said they bought various brands of the vegetable from different supermarkets.

Shopping records revealed a suspected supply chain, with several purchases linked to the same distributor.

However, no lettuce was available for testing.

Despite being unable to prove that the goat’s cheese and lettuce were infected, officials suspect that they were.

In the UK, safety guidance is also published explaining how Britons can best protect themselves from being struck down.

Around 4,000 people in England are infected with cryptosporidium.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) say cryptosporidium ‘can be found in the intestines and faeces of infected humans and animals’.

They add that it may contaminate outdoor waters, swimming pools and poorly treated waters.

In food, it is most commonly found in raw milk and fresh produce like whole fruits and vegetables. 

It can also be found on outdoor objects such as farm gates, boots and clothing.

As well as diarrhoea, which is mostly watery, symptoms can include stomach pains, nausea and vomiting.

A fever and loss of appetite can also occur – leading to dehydration and weight loss. 

Children between one and five are most commonly affected by the cryptosporidiosis bug, meaning parents changing nappies may be at risk.

Those who handle infected livestock and drink from untreated water supplies are also more likely to get it.

It comes after a separate explosive diarrhoea bug that struck down tens of thousands of Americans this summer arrived in the UK.

Linked to an iceberg lettuce farm in Mexico, cyclosporiasis swept quickly through the US, killing two and leaving hundreds hospitalised in recent weeks.

Health chiefs warned that the debilitating infection – which causes weeks of violent diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and vomiting – has reached the UK.

At least 67 Britons have fallen ill with cyclosporiasis since May.