Infectious intestinal disease (IID) now affects up to 17 million people in the UK annually. Rates in England have increased by nearly 50% since the early 1990s, according to Professor Sarah O’Brien from The University of Manchester, and the lead researcher on the biggest population study of its kind for 12 years.
The study, which was funded by the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health (England) revealed that there are up to 17 million cases of IID in the UK every year, equating to one-in-four of the population suffering from vomiting and/or diarrhoea of varying severity annually; norovirus infection accounts for around 3 million of these cases; Campylobacter is responsible for around 500,000 cases; 18.8 million working and school days are lost as a result of IID in its totality; 11.4 million people of working age are affected; and 1 million cases present to General Practice.
