Rhode Island closed Spring Lake after 92 people were sickened with Shigella bacteria, I6 of those
were hospitalized. Mostly children.were infected
Some Shigella is drug resistant. It caused diarrhea and is a major cause of children dying in underdeveloped countries with 90,000 deaths a year.It attackes the cells in the small intestine. There is no vaccine for Shigella.
Health Director Michael Fine advises anyone who swam in Spring Lake on the Fourth of July to consider seeking medical attention if they have gastrointestinal symptoms. There are no severe cases in this outbreak so far. Spring Lake is expected to reopen today as tests show that the Shigella is gone.
Shigella is typically spread by contact with human feces. Many are caused by poor hand washing. A study showed that many Americans don’t use soap to wash their hands. Few wash their hands vigorously for the recommended 21 seconds.
A single ill child, possibility wearing a leaky diaper, might have spread the bacteria to all the others. Both food and water was tested for the bacteria before the lake was pinpointed as the source.
Some tips for preventing the spread of shigellosis:
- Wash hands with soap carefully and frequently, especially after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers, and before preparing foods or beverages.
- Dispose of soiled diapers properly
- Disinfect diaper changing areas after using them.
- Keep children with diarrhea out of child care settings.
- Supervise handwashing of toddlers and small children after they use the toilet.
- Do not prepare food for others while ill with diarrhea
- Avoid swallowing water from ponds, lakes, or untreated pools. (See more information about this.)
Picture of Shigella in a stool sample
Source Google, CDC, Food Safety News
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