Shigella Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Shigella Blog

The Allegheny County Health Department is taking special measures to slow an outbreak of diarrheal illness known as shigellosis. Health Department spokesman Guillermo Cole says shigella infections began to increase countywide last October and there have been 97 cases reported so far this year. That compares to 41 in 2009 and only 12 in 2008. Other parts of the state including neighboring counties are also experiencing shigella outbreaks. Cole says nearly half of the local cases were children 5 or younger.

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According to various press reports, State health official say three children were hospitalized in western Kentucky in an unusually large outbreak of a bacterial infection that causes watery diarrhea and spreads easily.  Janie Cambron, regional epidemiologist for the Green River District Health Department, said Wednesday the children have since been released after contracting shigella, a bacterial infection spread through just a tiny amount of infected fecal matter.

Cambron says there were 80 reported cases of the disease as of Friday in Daviess County, and three in adjacent Ohio County.  Dr. William Hacker, commissioner of the state public health department, says shigella is common and usually affects children. He says some years in Kentucky, as few as 50 or many as 500 cases are seen sporadically.

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Health officials in Ohio County are reporting three confirmed cases of Shigella.  Daviess County is already dealing with 64 confirmed cases.

Health officials tell NEWS 25 there are no new cases in Daviess County, but this is the first news of the bacteria spreading around the Tri-State.  Shigella is contracted by contaminated food or water, or through human contact. Common symptoms are diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and cramps.  Washing and sanitizing your hands can prevent the spread of germs.

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Mothers who breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of life are also protecting their children against shigella, a severe form of diarrhea, according to a recent Bangladeshi study.
Study author Mohammed Zobayer Chisti, an assistant researcher from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh, said that stopping breastfeeding for newborns had long-term consequences.  He said that newborn children who had proper breastfeeding were more likely to have shigella resistance than children who did not. Children who have shigella infections typically experience seizures, brain changes, growth stunting, and death.

The research team found that children who were not properly breastfed as newborns were 40% more likely to develop the brain changes, or encephalopathy, that are associated with shigella infections.  Chisti said that he believed the reason why children who were not breastfed suffered so much had to do with levels of vitamin A, which helped children build resistance to the disease.  Children who lack vitamin A also sometimes end up having lower levels of retinol in their liver, which can hasten the progress of shigella. The World Health Organization recommends that infants always be breastfed for the first six months of life.

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There are now 15 confirmed cases of Shigella in Daviess County, Kentucky. Health department officials are asking people to exercise good hand hygiene at the BBQ Festival this weekend. Shigella is an intestinal infection caused by bacteria. It is usually self-limiting in most individuals but can also be very serious. Three steps you can take to help prevent the illness is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water, stay home if you're sick and disinfect surfaces. Certain high-risk groups such as the very young can be especially prone to developing complications.

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Alan Bavley of the The Kansas City Star reports on the growing outbreak of shigella in the greater Kansas City area:

The Kansas City area is going through an outbreak of a nasty and very contagious diarrheal disease called shigellosis, and scrupulous hand hygiene is the best way to keep from getting or spreading it.  More than 285 cases have been reported in the metropolitan area so far this year. The area typically averages just 10 to 15 a year. “Some people don’t wash their hands quite as well as they should,” said Jeff Hershberger of the Kansas City Health Department. “We want people to be really careful. It takes so few of the bacteria to infect someone.” As few as 10 shigella bacteria can make someone ill. So far, the outbreak has been centered in Kansas City, which has had 185 cases this year. Most people who get shigellosis suffer diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that can last as long as a week. In mild cases, recovery is usually compete, although it may take months to feel completely normal. People with impaired immune systems may develop complications. For serious cases, doctors may prescribe antibiotics.

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The number of affected people continues to grow as more come forward to report shigella infections after eating at a Lombard Subway restaurant.

Dave Hass of the DuPage County Health Department said there are currently 116 confirmed shigella cases linked to the Subway restaurant as of today. Of those cases, 13 people were hospitalized and 12 were discharged.  Hass also said the source of the shigella is unknown at this time and might never be pinpointed. The restaurant, 1009 E. Roosevelt Road, has been closed since March 4.

Law firm Marler Clark now represents close to 70 people affected by the outbreak. Drew Falkenstein, attorney at Marler Clark, said three lawsuits have been filed as of now. While they will not file 70 separate suits, Falkenstein said they will pursue claims on everybody’s behalf.

Shigella infections are spread from person to person, and also can be acquired from contaminated food. The disease can be prevented by frequent hand washing with soap and water.

People who have developed these symptoms between Feb. 24 to March 1 after eating at the Lombard Subway restaurant are advised to contact their physicians and the DuPage County Health Department at (630) 682-7400. Information on shigellosis is available at http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbshigellosis.htm.

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A third lawsuit has been filed by Marler Clark in the Shigella food poisoning outbreak from a Lombard Subway restaurant.

Wheeling resident Michael Carpino consumed a Subway sandwich on Feb. 25, and fell ill by the following day. The lawsuit states that 45-year-old Carpino is still suffering from Shigella infection symptoms.

Currently, Marler Clark represents more than 50 people in regards to the outbreak.

Dave Hass of the DuPage County Health Department said there were 78 confirmed Shigella cases linked to the Subway restaurant as of today. Eleven of those cases were hospitalized, and ten were discharged.

Hass also said the source of the Shigella is unknown at this time and might not be pinpointed. The restaurant has been closed since March 4.

Shigella infections are spread from person to person, and also can be acquired from contaminated food. The disease can be prevented by frequent hand washing with soap and water.

People who have developed these symptoms between Feb. 24 to March 1 after eating at the Lombard Subway restaurant are advised to contact their physicians and the DuPage County Health Department at (630) 682-7400. More information on shigellosis is available at www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbshigellosis.htm.

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