Shigella warning issued

Illnesses caused by the Shigella bacteria continue to persist in Saskatchewan and health officials are urging good hand hygiene. 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, fever and diarrhea with mucus and sometimes blood.

Saskatchewan normally records between 10 and 15 cases a year, mostly related to foreign travel. Since April 2011, Saskatchewan has recorded 48 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, northern and southeast Saskatchewan. While investigations are ongoing, no linkages to a particular food item or event have been identified.

"It's vitally important to wash hands often, especially after using the washroom or before preparing food as people may be infected with Shigella and pass it on to others without having symptoms themselves," Saskatchewan Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said.

Advice for people experiencing diarrhea, especially with fever, painful cramps, and mucus and/or blood:

Contact a doctor or Nurse Practitioner to arrange for assessment and treatment;

Stay home from work or school and limit visiting with 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 or call HealthLine at 1-877-800-0002.