The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) helped to investigate two raw milk outbreaks in the second quarter of 2026.
Calls to assist in human outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis and E. coli infections where an animal-associated source is suspected are undertaken following a request by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
One of the outbreaks involved Cryptosporidium while Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) was behind the other. Details about the incidents are limited with both APHA and UKHSA not saying how many people were ill.
APHA was involved in two STEC O26 incidents from April to June. The first included patients epidemiologically linked to the consumption of unpasteurized milk. As a precaution, the implicated farm suspended sales of raw milk while investigations were ongoing. They resumed following the implementation of mitigation measures, including enhanced quality assurance procedures and compliant follow-up milk sampling results.
In the second incident, patients were epidemiologically linked to an open farm. Recommendations included ensuring that soap at handwashing facilities was readily accessible for very young children to reach and improving measures to prevent animal contact in areas not designated for public interaction with animals.
Ten Cryptosporidium outbreaks
The second quarter is traditionally the busiest time for cryptosporidiosis investigations because of the frequency of open farm visits by families or school groups around Easter and banking holidays.
Close contact with young ruminants, most commonly lambs, either through bottle-feeding or handling, is a high-risk activity for the spread of Cryptosporidium parvum. Prolonged contact with animals, such as cuddling, is also a high risk activity with potential for extensive clothing contamination. The availability of appropriate and suitably-located handwashing facilities including soap, rather than antimicrobial gel, which is not effective for this pathogen, is important.
The APHA assisted with 10 outbreaks in the quarter, including an outbreak that started earlier this year linked to an agricultural education setting. Two students were sick. Cryptosporidium parvum was identified as the pathogen in nine outbreaks. The type of Cryptosporidium was not known in the other incident.
Of the outbreaks that began in Q2, six were in England and three were in Wales. Eight were linked to open farms with animal contact activities, and one was caused by drinking unpasteurized milk.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) dairy hygiene inspectors visited the premises producing raw milk to ensure hygiene during milking and processing.
Environmental health officers collected fresh animal fecal samples from the floor at one of the farms. Cryptosporidium parvum was found in a sample from a lamb which matched isolates from human cases, providing strong evidence of a common source of infection, when considered with the epidemiological findings.
The APHA visited five open farms to provide advice on disease transmission and relevant aspects of the Industry Code of Practice.
