Over the past several months, Saskatchewan has seen an increase in the number of illnesses caused by the Shigella bacteria.
Shigella is a bacterium that spreads very easily from person-to-person because it only takes a very small number of Shigella bacteria to make a person sick. Characteristics of Shigella illness can include stomach pain and cramps, diarrhea with mucus and sometimes blood and fever.
Saskatchewan normally records between 10 and 15 cases a year, mostly related to foreign travel. Over the last four months, Saskatchewan has recorded 13 cases. The majority of these cases were found in children and were not linked to overseas travel except in one case. In many of the cases, the strain of the Shigella bacteria is similar, which would indicate ongoing person-to-person and household-to-household spread in Saskatchewan.
Most of the cases have been in central Saskatchewan in and around the Prince Albert area. While investigations are ongoing, no linkages to a particular food item or event have been identified.
"The most important thing to remember is for everyone, even if they feel well, to wash hands often and frequently, especially after using the washroom," Saskatchewan Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said. "Some people infected with Shigella may have no or very mild symptoms but they can still pass the illness to others without knowing it."
Advice for people experiencing diarrhea, especially with fever, painful cramps, and mucus and/or blood:
Contact a doctor who will arrange for assessment and treatment;
Stay home from work or school, and visiting friends and relatives, until at least 48 hours after the diarrhea has stopped. This is especially important for those who work in an occupation such as food service, childcare, eldercare or healthcare;
Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and running warm water, especially after using the toilet. This is the single most important way to stop the spread of Shigella; and
Avoid preparing food for others.
For more information about Shigella, visit www.health.gov.sk.ca/shigella.
