Shigella Infection

Context:The shigella infection spreads from contaminated food and water.

Background:People with shigellosis may start experiencing symptoms within one or two days of the entry of germs in the body.Health officials in Kozhikode district of Kerala convened emergency meetings and kicked in preventive measures last week after six cases of shigella infection and nearly two dozen suspected cases were detected within the urban corporation limits.

Shigella Infection: Shigellosis, or shigella infection, is a contagious intestinal infection caused by a genus of bacteria known as shigella. The bacteria are one of the prime pathogens responsible for causing diarrhoea, fluctuating between moderate and severe symptoms, especially in children in African and South Asian regions.
The bacteria, after entering the body through ingestion, attacks the epithelial lining of the colon resulting in inflammation of the cells and subsequently the destruction of the cells in severe cases. It takes only a small number of shigella bacteria to enter a person’s system and get her sick.

Common Symptoms: People with shigellosis may start experiencing symptoms within one or two days of the entry of germs in the body. The common symptoms are diarrhoea, often bloody and painful, stomach pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. There have been cases too where people don’t experience any signs of the bacterial infection.

Severity of the Shigella: No. In most cases, the patient may experience diarrhoea lasting for a couple of days and then the symptoms subsiding gradually. If diarrhoea persists for more than a week and if the patient suffers from fever and stomach pain, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Complications don’t usually occur in most cases.
In certain cases, however, if left undiagnosed even after a week of severe symptoms, shigella can cause complications like seizures, rectal prolapse and reactive arthritis, resulting in even death.

Prevention: According to the CDC, it’s important to wash hands with soap especially after dealing with a child’s diaper and before preparing/eating food. While swimming in pools and lakes, it’s advisable not to swallow water. One can avoid eating contaminated food especially from the street in unhygienic conditions. Drinking boiled water is advised.

Shigella spread in Kozhikode: Health department officials said the spread of the shigella infection in Kozhikode has been brought under control and there are no reasons for worry. The first suspected case of the infection was a 11-year-old child who was admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital following severe diarrhoea. His condition worsened rapidly and he died last week.

Many people who attended the child’s funeral and had consumed some form of food or water from his home began to report similar symptoms. When their samples were tested at the lab, shigella was confirmed in six cases. At least 20 others were suspected to have contracted the infection.

Health officials from Kozhikode said that except four adults, most of the cases were detected among children. They were promptly admitted to local hospitals for treatment and discharged subsequently.

Preliminary reports indicate that contaminated water, served at the child’s funeral, could have spread the infection. Samples from the wells in the area have been sent for testing. Most of the cases were restricted to Kottamparambu ward within Kozhikode Corporation limits.

Connecting the Article

Question for Prelims : Consider the following statements regarding Shigella Infection:

1. Contaminated air could spread the infection.
2. Shigella virus can’t survive in the air.

Which of the Statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question for Mains : What do you understand by the Shigella Infection? Discuss its common symptoms and the basic presumptions ?