How to Prevent Shigellosis
Shigellosis is the foodborne illness associated with a Shigella infection and is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, which means that fecal matter from a person infected with Shigella bacteria finds its way into the mouth of another person. The best way to prevent shigellosis is careful handwashing with soap.
The information below is from the Centers for Disease Control and is provided here as a public service.
What can a person do to prevent shigellosis?
There is no vaccine to prevent shigellosis. However, the spread of Shigella from an infected person to other persons can be stopped by frequent and careful handwashing with soap. Frequent and careful handwashing is important among all age groups. Frequent, supervised handwashing of all children should be followed in day care centers and in homes with children who are not completely toilet-trained (including children in diapers). When possible, young children with a Shigella infection who are still in diapers should not be in contact with uninfected children.
People who have shigellosis should not prepare food or pour water for others until they have been shown to no longer be carrying the Shigella bacterium.
If a child in diapers has shigellosis, everyone who changes the child's diapers should be sure the diapers are disposed of properly in a closed-lid garbage can, and should wash his or her hands carefully with soap and warm water immediately after changing the diapers. After use, the diaper changing area should be wiped down with a disinfectant such as household bleach, Lysol or bactericidal wipes.
Basic food safety precautions and regular drinking water treatment prevents shigellosis. At swimming beaches, having enough bathrooms near the swimming area helps keep the water from becoming contaminated.
Simple precautions taken while traveling to the developing world can prevent getting shigellosis. Drink only treated or boiled water, and eat only cooked hot foods or fruits you peel yourself. The same precautions prevent traveler's diarrhea in general.
Pritzker | Ruohonen is one of the few law firms in the United States that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation, including Shigella lawsuits. To contact a lawyer at the firm for a free consultation regarding your legal rights and remedies, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or e-mail fhp@pritzkerlaw.com.