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About Shigellosis
Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a family of bacteria known as Shigella. Symptoms of shigellosis include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. The diarrhea is often bloody. Symptoms usually end within 5 to 7 days. Shigella bacteria may be present in the stool of an infected person 1 or 2 weeks after symptoms stop. Hospitalization may be required for persons with severe diarrhea.
The Shigella bacteria pass from one infected person to the next, usually passing from the stools or dirty fingers of one person to the mouth of another person. Ensuring basic cleanliness and good hand washing habits are key steps to preventing the spread of the disease. Shigellosis may also be the result of eating contaminated food. Persons may also be infected by drinking or swimming in contaminated water.
Shigella infections are a serious public health problem in Williamson County, causing illnesses requiring visits to health care providers including hospital emergency rooms, school absenteeism, and work time loss.
What's Being Done
Public health departments, schools, and other government agencies work to limit the spread of Shigella in many different ways:
- Maintain disease surveillance systems to identify cases and outbreaks quickly
- Raise awareness of shigellosis in the general public
- Inform the public of outbreaks through news releases and media outlets
- Promote hand washing and basic hygiene
- Respond aggressively to outbreaks
- Coordinate efforts to improve hand washing among staff, children, and family of child-care
facilities or schools
- Limit contact of infected persons (especially children with a Shigella infection
who are still in diapers) with uninfected individuals
- Ensure proper disposal of all diapers and sanitation of diaper changing areas
- Issue notices that warn against people with shigellosis swimming in pools and other
recreational water areas
- Ensure restaurants and other food establishments follow basic
food safety requirements
- Ensure the safety of water supplies, and effectiveness of sewage treatment:
- Issue recreational water warnings or alerts to the public following sewage spills,
flooding, or heavy rains
- Ensure adequate restroom facilities at all public parks and events (e.g. outdoor
concerts, festivals)
- Enforce local regulations mandating appropriate methods for sewage
disposal, including appropriate maintenance for on-site sewage
facilities
- Work closely with the state and federal authorities to respond to
environmental accidents or emergencies that threaten public health
Shigellosis
Trends & Statistics presents historical statistics and trends for shigellosis in Williamson County. National Electronic Disease Surveillance Data (NEDSS) from WCCHD and the Austin Travis County Health & Human Services Department are combined to produce statistics covering all areas of Williamson County, including areas under the City of Austin’s jurisdiction.
Shigellosis Updates - provides current year updates on shigellosis investigated by WCCHD and reported to the CDC via the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS).
For more information contact the WCCHD Disease Surveillance Team
at (512) 943-3660 or email Mindy Powell, CDMT Team Lead.
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