Shigella are bacteria that cause a stomach infection referred to as shigellosis,
or “bacillary dysentery”. The bacteria are usually only found in
infected people, their stools or their bowel movements.
Who can get shigellosis?
Anyone who has contact with an infected stool can get shigellosis. It can be
spread in day care settings with young children, especially toddlers 2 to 4
years of age who are not fully toilet trained or have poor hygiene. It also
can be spread in contaminated food or water, among people with poor hygiene
or those living in unsanitary conditions, especially those in developing countries.
Men who have sex with men are at higher risk due to high rates of infection.
What are the symptoms of shigellosis?
The symptoms of shigellosis include fever, diarrhea (sometimes containing blood
and/or mucous), stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms usually occur 1 to 3 days after exposure. A person with shigellosis
may experience mild, severe or no symptoms. If you have serious symptoms you
should see your doctor. In most cases it takes 5 to 7 days to get better, but
it can sometimes take longer. Some people with severe symptoms may need to stay
in the hospital, especially very young children, seniors 65 years and older
and people with poor immune systems.
How does shigellosis spread?
Shigellosis is very infectious and spreads easily. Because the bacteria are
in the stool of an infected person, infection occurs when tiny bits of infected
stool get in another person’s mouth, food or water.
Here are the most common ways that shigellosis spreads:
Being exposed to infected stool or objects contaminated with stool
Commonly in day care centres if you do not wash your hands often when you
are touching children and changing diapers.
Contaminated food or water
When food is contaminated by infected handlers
When sanitation and hygiene are poor
In developing countries without proper drinking water treatment
By getting stool onto your fingers and then touching your mouth
By putting food or objects that may have tiny bits of stool on them into
your mouth
How can you prevent shigellosis?
Exposure to infected stool
Frequent and careful hand washing is important for everybody. Make sure
children have their hands washed properly in day care centers and at home.
This is especially important for children who are not completely toilet-trained,
including children in diapers.
When possible, a young child with a shigella infection should not be around
or play with other children.
At swimming pools or beaches, having enough bathrooms near the swimming
area helps keep the water from becoming contaminated.
Eat only cooked hot foods or fruits you peel yourself (see HealthLink BC
File #41e Traveller's Diarrhea).
Drink only treated or boiled water.
When having sex
Do not have unprotected oral-anal contact.
Right after sex, thoroughly wash your hands and other body parts that may
have touched stool. Use warm running water and soap.
Wash your hands often!
Wash all parts of your hands well rubbing them together to create lather.
Include the backs of your hands and wrists.
Clean under your nails and keep them short.
Dry hands with a fresh paper towel or a clean cloth towel.
Be aware of ways that tiny bits of stool can get into your mouth. These
include:
Biting your nails;
Lighting up a cigarette;
Eating unwrapped candy, nuts, chips, fruit or other food; and
Sharing cups, bottles, utensils, plates or other household items.
If you have shigellosis how can you avoid giving it to others?
Wash your hands well and often with soap and water. This is important for
all age groups, especially after having a bowel movement, changing diapers,
and before preparing foods or drinks.
Watch children when they wash their hands, and help them as needed. This
is really important for children who are not completely toilet-trained, including
children in diapers.
Get rid of dirty diapers properly.
Disinfect diaper changing areas with diluted household bleach (2 tablespoons
bleach per gallon water, or 60 ml bleach per 4 litres water).
Children with shigellosis must be kept out of day care centers until they
are no longer infected.
People who handle food, or who care for children, the sick, the elderly,
or other dependents, cannot go to work until they have shown that they have
cleared the infection (See the Communicable Disease Control Manual –
“Exclusion of Enteric Cases and their Contacts from High Risk Settings”
at http://www.bccdc.ca/dis-cond/comm-manual/CDManualChap1.htm).
Do not have unprotected oral-anal sex for at least 7 days after your symptoms
have stopped.
When should you see a doctor?
You should see a doctor if you have the symptoms of shigellosis, especially
if blood is present in your stools.
What is the treatment for shigellosis?
People with shigellosis can be treated with antibiotics to speed recovery
and to help prevent others from getting infected. However, people with mild
symptoms generally recover without any antibiotic treatment.
If you have diarrhea, drink lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
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