Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Health
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An outbreak of shigellosis, or shigella infection, has been reported in Kerala, with one death and 15 cases across the State this month.
Shigellosis – It is a highly contagious intestinal infection that causes acute diarrhoea.
Caused by the– Shigella bacteria, one of the leading bacterial causes of diarrhoea worldwide.
Humans are the only natural reservoir of the Shigella bacteria.
Transmission – It is transmitted through direct, close contact with infected individuals, through the faecal-oral route and through sexual contact.
It can also spread through contaminated food and water or contact with faeces of an infected person, for instance, while changing a diaper.
Risk factors
Children under the age of five,
having a weakened immune system,
travelling to an area with unsafe food or water,
living in crowded areas or in long-term care facilities or group settings/homes and experiencing homelessness.
Symptoms
Incubation period – Generally 1–4 days
Common symptoms – Diarrhoea, which can be bloody or with mucus, lasting 3 days or more.
Other symptoms – Includes stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, tenesmus (feeling of needing to pass stool even when bowels are empty)
Symptoms usually last for five to seven days.
Global Status– The estimated annual incidence of shigellosis is 188 million cases & approximately 164,000 cases result in death, a significant number of these being children under five.
Treatment
Mild cases – It is typically self-limiting (means symptoms resolve themselves), supportive care at home (hydration, rest, ORS for children)
Severe cases – Diagnosis would involve a physical examination and testing of stool samples to check for the infection.
Medicines, including antibiotics, may be prescribed for a serious infection.
No Vaccine– There is currently no approved vaccine for shigellosis, though several candidates are undergoing clinical trials.
Important – It is important to consult a doctor before taking any medicine, as some diarrhoea medicines are not recommended for a shigella infection and for children.
Complications – Dehydration is one major complication, especially with children, and in severe loss of fluids can be dangerous, even leading to death.
Some children may experience seizures, though it is unclear if it is the infection or the fever that causes the seizures.
Less common complications – Include the infection entering the bloodstream, reactive arthritis (inflammation of the joints), rectal prolapse, and haemolytic uremic syndrome.
