Severe E.coli cases have surged by more than 4,000 in a single year — the biggest annual rise in four years, new Government figures show.
A MailOnline analysis of the latest data revealed that infections are up roughly 10 percent since last year, amounting to more than 46,000 cases in England between June 2023 and June 2024.
The past three years have seen much smaller rises of around just four per cent.
The bug — which can spread via contaminated water, food or other infected people — usually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea.
In most cases symptoms resolve within a few days. However, for vulnerable people with weakened immune systems, it can prove deadly.
Infectious disease experts today explained the rise — which relates to blood test-confirmed E.coli, usually in a hospital setting — was likely due to an increase in elective surgery and the number of hospitalised older people.
Paul Hunter, Professor of Medicine at the University of East Anglia and a specialist in bacterial infections said: ‘The majority of cases will be detected in very sick patients who have come into hospital for something else and either they pick it up in hospital or they have it already and it happens to be spotted by doctors.
‘They will almost certainly be in hospital when they’re diagnosed because it’s really difficult to test for the infection in general practice.’
However, Prof Hunter adds that the type of E.coli being detected in hospital is not the same kind you might contract from spoiled chicken or dirty water.
‘One of the most common causes of E. coli bacteraemia is urinary tract infections (UTIs), where bacteria from the bladder enters the bloodstream via the genitals,’ he said.
‘Bacteremia means bacteria in the blood. When they start spreading and growing in your bloodstream, that’s when you get really sick.’
He added that there was not ‘one single reason’ for this year’s intriguing rise in severe E.coli cases.
‘Some of it may be down to more laboratories reporting cases. It may have also be because we’re doing more elective surgery, which is a known risk of E.coli.’
Hospitals have also seen more older people in hospital with respiratory conditions, including RSV, he said.
‘If you’re older you are more likely to have a urinary catheter which is a big risk factor.
‘Equally, as you get older, you can get more problems with the bowel that could ultimately lead to bacteria entering the blood.’
The data, released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Wednesday, found 46,416 cases in England were recorded by the NHS in 2023/24.
By comparison, 42,662 and 41,087 cases were logged in 2022/23 and 2021/22.
Even pre-pandemic the figure stood at just 44,257 in 2019/2020.
Separately, experts have also long been concerned by shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC), a strain of the diarrhoea-causing bug.
Symptoms of infection vary from stomach cramps and vomiting to bloody diarrhoea, UKHSA says, with around half of people infected experiencing the latter.
However, it is often difficult to spot because the same symptoms can be caused by a variety of bugs, including norovirus.
STEC is considered to be extremely infectious, and in up to 15 per cent of cases, the bug can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure.
More than 46,000 cases of E. coli bacteraemia — found in the blood — were recorded in England between June 2023 and June 2024. It marks a rise of almost 10 per cent on the previous year
STEC can also be spread by touching infected animals or their faeces directly, as well as coming into direct contact with infected people’s waste, for example in the case of carers looking after older people.
It can also be spread through contaminated water, either via drinking tainted supplies it or accidently ingesting it while swimming.
Earlier this year a fatality was attributed to an STEC outbreak that was believed to be linked to tainted salad leaves.
More than 60 sandwiches, wraps and salads sold in 11 major shops in the UK were also slapped with ‘do not eat’ alerts over fears they could contain STEC.
Experts believe the texture of lettuce makes it more prone to being contaminated with E. coli though water tainted with infected animal faeces, as well as the fact it’s not cooked, which would usually kill off bugs.
The number of times sewage has been released into England’s waters has jumped 24-fold since 2016, according to official figures.
It comes as Brits were this week told they could be at especially high risk of contracting the bug — which leads to at least 120 hospitalisations every year — this summer, due to unusually high levels of rainfall.
Previous research has found worryingly high levels of E.coli — which can also be found in meat and other food products — in many of the UK’s waters including the River Thames and The River Tone in Somerset.
Large amounts of rain water can cause an increase in the presence of the bacteria because of the UK’s water laws.
Water companies are permitted to spill sewage into open waters following heavy rainfall to prevent the system becoming overloaded.
But these spills are happening too often, according to campaigners.
The number of times sewage has been released into England’s waters has jumped 24-fold since 2016, according to official figures.
Brits are advised to contact NHS 111 or their GP if they or their children show any symptoms of E. coli infection.
For children under five symptoms can include disinterest in breast or bottle feeding and signs of dehydration such as fewer wet nappies.
Both adults and children are advised to call NHS 111 or their GP if they keep vomiting for two days or have diarrhoea for a week.
Anyone suffering bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom should call NHS 111 or their GP immediately.
Those who are infected are advised to not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
