News Release
(Xenia, OH) The Greene County Combined Health District (GCCHD) has seen an increase in the number of cases of Shigella over the past week with 4 cases reported. Shigella was the second most reported disease in Ohio for the week ending August 25, 2007 with 106 cases reported. 105 of these cases were in counties southwest of Greene. There has been a total of 769 cases in Ohio as of August 25, 2007. Greene has seen an increase of cases of the bowel infection shigella this year, and GCCHD is advising residents on how to prevent the spread. In Greene County from 2001 to 2006 there have been 53 cases.
The best prevention is hand washing, according to the health department. Health officials also advise against use of wading pools for groups of children, because shigella is transferred easily in standing water.
Shigella, which primarily infects young children, is transmitted through contact with the stool of an infected person. It causes an illness called shigellosis, with symptoms including diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea or vomiting.
"We’ve seen an increase in the number of cases of shigella over the past week, with 4 cases reported, typically we only see 0 to 2 cases per year," said Amy Schmitt, Communicable Disease Nurse at Greene County. "We are working with local pools, doctors' offices and childcare centers to educate them about preventing the spread of Shigella in the community, but with Labor Day coming, we want to remind individuals what they can do to stop the spread of this illness."
Shigella is also often transmitted in child-care facilities, since many children are in diapers.
Nurses from the health department have been working with local centers for several weeks to remind them of proper hand washing techniques and to make sure the children and staff who have Shigella remain at home until they have completed treatment and have a negative stool culture.
Each year, about 18,000 cases of Shigella are reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Because many milder cases of shigella are not diagnosed or reported, the CDC estimates that the actual number of cases may be 20 times greater.
The illness can be treated with antibiotics. In severe cases, hospitalization may be required to avoid dehydration.
For more information, please call Amy Schmitt at (937) 374-5638 or Don Brannen at (937) 374-5660.
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