Shigellosis.

              What is shigellosis?
Shigellosis is a diarrheal disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella. Children, especially toddlers aged 2 to 4, are
most likely to get shigellosis. Many cases are related to the spread of illness in child care settings; however, anyone can be
infected with the bacteria.
What are the symptoms of shigellosis?
Symptoms include mild to severe diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. The stools may contain blood or mucous.
The average time between exposure and symptoms is one to three days and symptoms usually resolve in 5 to 7 days. Some
persons who are infected may have no symptoms at all, but may still pass the Shigella bacteria to others.
How does someone get shigellosis?
Shigella is spread in the stools of people infected with the bacteria. People who have shigellosis and do not wash their hands
after they use the bathroom, particularly while they have diarrhea, can contaminate objects (toys, food, water, etc.) which
others then put into their mouths. The family members and playmates of young children are at greatest risk of getting
shigellosis.
Shigellosis can move quickly through groups of diapered children for three reasons:
1. Shigella is VERY infectious. It can take as few as ten bacteria to cause illness.
2. It can be passed in stools for as long as four weeks after the beginning of symptoms. Even if a person does not
feel sick anymore, they can still pass Shigella to others if handwashing habits are poor.
3. Children have poor hand hygiene.
Shigellosis may be acquired from eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Infected food handlers that do not wash their
hands well with soap and water after using the bathroom may contaminate food. Water may become contaminated from
sewage or if someone with shigellosis swims in it.
Should someone go to work, school, or send his or her child to day care with Shigella?
Because Shigella infections are easily passed from person to person, anyone that handles food, provides day care for children
or adults, or provides direct patient care should never work if they have diarrhea. A health care provider should be seen
immediately to determine the cause of illness. If a person with one of these occupations has shigellosis, he/she must not
return to work until two negative stool cultures test negative for Shigella at the Oklahoma State Department of Health Public
Health Laboratory. Children may not attend day care with diarrhea, but may return 24 hours after diarrhea stops.
Is there any treatment for shigellosis?
Most people with shigellosis will recover on their own. Some may require fluids to prevent dehydration. Antibiotics are
occasionally used to treat severe cases or to shorten the illness, which may be important for food handlers, children in daycare,
or institutionalized individuals. Anyone with severe or long-lasting diarrhea, especially small children and elderly people,
should see a health care provider. It is not recommended to take medicines that prevent diarrhea. These drugs can actually
increase the duration of illness because the bacteria are prevented from leaving the intestinal tract.
What can be done to prevent shigellosis?
The most important way to prevent the spread of Shigella is through frequent and careful handwashing with warm water and
soap. People should be especially careful to wash their hands after diapering a child, going to the bathroom, and before
eating, or preparing food. Day care providers should supervise hand washing of all children that are wearing diapers or are not
completely toilet-trained. Do not work with diarrhea or allow children to attend day care with diarrhea.
Shigellosis
OSDH 09/2010
Public Health
Fact Sheet
For further information call or visit us on the World Wide Web
Acute Disease Service
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Phone (405) 271-4060
http://ads.health.ok.gov
Public Health
Fact Sheet