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Health chiefs have warned of a huge spike in cases of a parasitic infection that causes 'explosive' diarrhoea in the UK - with travellers returning from Mexico partly to blame.

At least 67 people are known to have fallen ill with cyclosporiasis - which spreads through contaminated water or food - since May, with more than half of these having returned from the country.

The parasite is ravaging through the US, with nearly 7,000 cases now confirmed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While cyclosporiasis doesn't naturally occur in the UK, health officials are now advising all travellers to take precautions following a sharp rise in infections in the UK.

Latest figures, published by the UK Health Security Agency, show 67 cases have now been reported in England, Wales and Scotland, between 30 April and 15 July.

On average, just 93 cases are reported per year, indicating a sharp rise in infections.

Dr Philip Veal, consultant in travel health at the UKHSA, said: 'We have recently detected a rise in Cyclospora infections among travellers returning from Mexico.

'These infections are caused by a parasite and can affect the stomach and intestines.'

Anyone experiencing symptoms including watery diarrhoea, loss of appetite, stomach cramps or pain, nausea and flu-like symptoms should seek urgent medical attention and inform their doctor of their travel history, the UKHSA advises.

Officials anticipate numbers to continue to soar, as a result of summer travel to Mexico and the USA, where a widespread outbreak has been reported.

Most UK cases have been traced back to all-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions, where thousands of Britons flock to every year.

The unpleasant illness, which can also cause stomach cramps and flatulence, is caused by consuming food or drink contaminated with cyclospora, a microscopic parasite.

The sickness can last for more than a month but most cases resolve within a few days.

Although usually mild, it can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients.