Shigellosis Outbreak in Rolette County, North Dakota
Rolette County, North Dakota, reported 13 confirmed cases of shigellosis (Shigella infection) in July 2006. All but one are children under 18, and 6 people were hospitalized. 5 additional people have reported symptoms of shigellosis, which are diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. The diarrhea is often bloody.
Health officials have not found the source of the Shigella bacteria that is behind the shigellosis outbreak. As the investigation continues, the North Dakota Department of Health is urging residents of Rolette County to take measures to prevent shigellosis.
Lawyer Fred Pritzker knows how devastating shigellosis can be. He obtained the largest Shigella-lawsuit recovery in Minnesota for a client who had suffered serious injuries. Fred Pritzker has a national practice and represents food poisoning victims throughout the United States. He has offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To contact Fred Pritzker or another lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or e-mail fhp@pritzkerlaw.com.
Below is the North Dakota Department of Health news release regarding the Rolette County shigellosis outbreak. Pritzker | Ruohonen is providing it here as a public service.
State and Local Health Officials Investigate Shigellosis Cases in Rolette County: Good Hand Washing Practices Recommended
ROLETTE COUNTY, N.D. - Thirteen laboratory-confirmed cases of shigellosis were reported from Rolette County in July 2006, according to Kirby Kruger, state epidemiologist for the North Dakota Department of Health. Of those, six were hospitalized. Five additional cases are pending laboratory confirmation. All cases with the exception of one are children younger than 18. At this time, the health department has found no common source for these infections.
During the course of the investigation, some of the cases reported swimming at Lake Upsilon in Rolette County. These reports lead to the testing of this lake on July 20, 2006, as a precautionary measure to make sure the water quality at the public beach was appropriate for recreational use. However, the water samples from the lake tested negative for sewage contamination. No other lakes in surrounding areas or counties are implicated as the source of illness at this time. Health officials are continuing to investigate how the shigellosis is spreading in the community.
Shigella sonnei, the bacteria that causes shigellosis, are shed in the stools of infected people, both in those showing symptoms and those not appearing to be ill. Most people who have shigellosis develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps starting a day or two after they are exposed to the bacteria. The diarrhea may be bloody. The bacteria are spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water or by direct or indirect contact with fecal material from an infected person. Ingestion of only a small amount of bacteria can cause infection; therefore, the bacteria can spread easily from person to person. Groups at increased risk of shigellosis include children in child-care centers and people in institutions where personal hygiene is difficult to maintain, elderly people, those with suppressed immune systems, health-care workers and people in homes with inadequate water for hand washing.
To prevent the spread of shigellosis:
- Do not swim if you have diarrhea. This is especially important for kids in diapers.
- Avoid drinking water from lakes or swimming pools.
- Practice good personal hygiene. Shower before and after swimming in lakes or swimming pools.
- Wash hands with soap thoroughly and frequently, especially after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers and before preparing food or beverages.
- Supervise hand washing of toddlers and small children after they use the toilet.
- Dispose of soiled diapers properly in a closed-lid garbage can.
- Disinfect diaper changing areas after using them.
- Keep children with diarrhea out of child-care settings.
- Do not prepare food for others if you experience diarrhea or vomiting.
For more information, contact Kirby Kruger or Julie Goplin, North Dakota Department of Health, at 701.328.2378. To report a possible infection, call 800.472.2180. A fact sheet about shigellosis and North Dakota statistics are available at www.ndhealth.gov/disease/Shigella/default.htm.
