What to Do if You Contract Cyclospora on Holiday in Mexico

Posted on: 4 mins read
Paul Stevens

Senior Associate, Holiday Claims

Share Article:

British holidaymakers who contract Cyclospora at an all-inclusive hotel in Mexico will not know they’ve got the condition unless they’re tested for it. If you start showing symptoms of a gastric illness during your holiday, report it to a member of the hotel staff straight away.

You should also let your tour operator know about the problem and get help from a medical professional as soon as possible to stop your condition getting worse. If you receive medical attention while you’re on holiday, make sure you let your travel insurance company know.

When seeing a doctor or medical professional, ask for a stool sample test to be carried out, as this will help to establish what pathogen (bacteria, virus, other microorganism) you’re suffering from, and ensure you get the correct and most effective medical treatment as soon as possible.

It may be that when you consult a medical professional while in Mexico that you are given medication such called “Bactiver” (which contains Co-trimoxazole). If you are given Bactiver or medication containing Co-trimoxazole without having a stool sample tested, it’s likely that the medical practitioner in Mexico suspects that you have contracted Cyclospora, as to the best of our knowledge, such medication is not usually used to treat other food poisoning bugs such as Salmonella, Cryptosporidium and Shigella.

If you are prescribed medication or treated by a medical professional on holiday, you may wish to contact NHS Direct or your GP directly while you are abroad as well. You may wish to do this in any event, particularly if you suffer from allergies/extreme reactions to certain types of medication.

You should contact your GP back in the UK if you’re suffering from a sickness bug while you are still on holiday, as they can tell you whether what you’ve been prescribed is suitable. Because of the long incubation period for Cyclospora (which can be up to 14 days), your symptoms might not start until you have returned. But if you or a member of your family are seriously unwell, it’s vital that you get medical attention as soon as possible, which means you’ll need to trust the advice a doctor or other healthcare professional in Mexico gives you.

If you think that you contracted Cyclospora due to poor hygiene standards or from the food at your hotel or resort in Mexico, get in touch with our Holiday Claims Solicitors as soon as possible. You can contact us 24/7 by clicking on “request a callback” in the green area below.

At Simpson Millar we have successfully dealt with thousands of holiday sickness claims on a No Win, No Fee basis. For free legal advice get in touch with our specialist team of Holiday Claims Solicitors.

TrustpilotStarsWe're ratedExcellent

Symptoms of Cyclospora can include

  • Profuse diarrhoea
  • Nausea
  • Stomach cramps
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Bloating
  • Increased Gas
  • Lethargy
  • Weight Loss
  • Loss of Appetite

You may also suffer from:

  • Vomiting
  • Aching in hands, feet or legs
  • Headaches
  • Fever

Of course, many of these symptoms can be signs of other gastric sickness bugs which holidaymakers have suffered from on holiday in Mexico in the past. So it’s very important to see a doctor and find out what exact condition you’ve developed as soon as possible.

What Causes Cyclospora?

Cyclospora is the result of a parasite attaching itself to fruit and vegetables that have been contaminated with human faecal matter. The bug can be associated with the following food sources:

  • Berries, including strawberries and raspberries and potentially other types of fruit
  • Salads
  • Soft herbs such as mint and coriander (also known as cilantro)
  • Desserts that include fruits
  • Cocktails that contain soft fruits or herbs such as Strawberry Daiquiries and Mojitos

The infection can happen if contaminated water is used to wash or irrigate the produce. The parasite can’t be removed by conventional food preparation methods.

Where Can You Catch Cyclospora in Mexico?

It’s impossible to say exactly when or where the next Cyclospora outbreak in Mexico will occur, but we’ve seen repeated cases of Cyclospora involving guests that have stayed at many all-inclusive hotels in Mexico. These include:

  • Catalonia Riviera Maya Resort & Spa
  • Grand Bahia Principe Coba
  • Grand Riviera Princess
  • Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort and Spa
  • Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun
  • Ocean Maya Royale by H10
  • Riu Caribe
  • Riu Palace Peninsula
  • Royalton Riviera Cancun
  • TUI SENSATORI Resort Azul Mexico
  • El Dorado Seaside Suites & Spa
  • Sensimar Seaside Suites & Spa

Claiming Compensation for Holiday Sickness in Mexico

The 1992 Package Travel Regulations state that tour operators must ensure health and safety standards at the overseas hotels they use are maintained. So if you get sick with food poisoning on holiday, you might be entitled to claim compensation from your tour operator.

To find out if you have a claim, contact our Holiday Claims Solicitors and we’ll assess the details of your case to see if your claim has a good chance of success.

What Else Can You Do?

You can share your experience on TripAdvisor or other holiday review websites. This can be an effective way of showing tour operators that a problem exists and that they need to do something about it right away.

Online reviews and Facebook groups can also inform other holidaymakers about potential hygiene or food problems at their hotel or resort before they arrive.

Contact our leading Personal Injury Team specialising in Travel Claims Today

Fill in your details and one of our team will call you back or call us now on 0808 239 7911

This data will only be used by Simpson Millar in accordance with our Privacy Policy for processing your query and for no other purpose