Shigella Blog - Surveillance & analysis on Shigella news & outbreaks

By MARK ANDERSEN / Lincoln Journal Star

More than 30 probable cases of shigella, the parasitic infection associated with prolonged and often severe diarrhea, have been identified in Lancaster County over the past two weeks.

Dehydration, usually in the very old and young, is the biggest danger of this highly contagious organism, said Tim Timmons of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.

There have been 14 lab-confirmed cases of the disease.

The cases were reported across the community, in children and adults, but three day care providers have been especially affected. They were not identified.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Aug. 3, 2006) -

Shigella bacteria are found naturally in the intestinal tracts of humans and other primates. People who eat food or drink water contaminated by Shigella can become ill with shigellosis.

What are the symptoms of shigellosis infection?

Like other foodborne illnesses, the symptoms of shigellosis can feel like the flu. Symptoms can appear within 12 to 50 hours after eating contaminated food, but usually don't appear until three to seven days later. People who have shigellosis are usually ill for three to 14 days. Others infected with the bacteria may not get sick or show symptoms, but they can carry the bacteria and spread the infection to others.

How do the bacteria spread?

Shigellosis is most often spread from person-to-person. Shigella can also be transferred by flies. People infected with the bacteria can be carriers. Therefore, proper hygiene, safe food handling and preparation practices are key to preventing foodborne illness. If you think you are infected with Shigella or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not prepare food for other people unless you wear disposable gloves and follow safe food handling procedures. About 20 per cent of shigellosis infections come directly from contaminated food and water.

Where has Shigella been found?

Food is most commonly contaminated with Shigella from water polluted by human sewage. Food can also become contaminated if it is handled by a person infected with Shigella or by cross-contamination because of unsanitary food handling practices. The following listed below have been responsible for foodborne illnesses:

- salads (pasta, potato, shrimp, tuna, - produce such as
chicken, turkey, macaroni, fruit, strawberries,
lettuce) spinach, fresh daikon
- chopped turkey (a type of radish)
- rice balls - raw oysters
- beans - deli meats
- pudding - unpasteurized milk

Will cooking destroy the bacteria?

Like many other harmful bacteria that could be in our food, Shigella
are destroyed when food is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your
food. See table.

Defeating Shigella Bacteria: A 4-Point Plan

1. Get off to a CLEAN start!

- Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of
foodborne illness. Do you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds
with soap and warm water before and after handling food? Wash again
when you switch from one food to another.

- Are your countertops and utensils clean and sanitized? Sanitizing
reduces bacteria and can prevent foodborne illness.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
BLEACH SANITIZER

- Combine 5 mL (1 tsp) of bleach with 750 mL (3 cups) of water in a
labelled spray bottle.
- After cleaning, spray sanitizer on the surface/utensil and let
stand briefly.
- Rinse with lots of clean water, and air dry (or use clean towels).
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Foodsafe tip: Use only clean water to water vegetable/fruit/herb
gardens. Shigella bacteria can live in contaminated water and
might contaminate the food you eat.

2. CHILL your food and stop bacteria cold!

- Bacteria can grow in the danger zone between 4 C and
60 C (40 F to 140 F). Keep cold food cold at or below
4 C (40 degrees F).
- Refrigeration at or below 4 C (40 F) slows down most bacterial
growth. Freezing at or below -18 C (0 F) can stop it completely.
(But remember: chilling won't kill bacteria. Only proper cooking
will do that!)

Foodsafe tip: Use appliance thermometers to check that your
refrigerator and freezer are cold enough.

3. SEPARATE! Don't cross-contaminate!

- Keep raw foods away from other foods while shopping, storing and
preparing foods.

Foodsafe tip: When shopping, place raw meat in a plastic bag,
then place it in your shopping cart away from other foods.

4. COOK safely!

- Have you cooked your food to a safe internal temperature? Use a
digital food thermometer to check the temperature of your food.
See table.
- Bacteria can grow quickly in the danger zone between 4 C and
60 C (40 F to 140 F), so keep hot food at or above 60 C (140 F).

Foodsafe tip: The only way to be sure that your food is cooked
properly is to use a food thermometer to check.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
When is my food ready to eat?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Food Temperature
---------------------------------------------------------------------
fully cooked and ready-to-eat You can eat it cold or you can heat it.
meats (e.g. ham, roast)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
beef and veal steaks and roasts 63 degrees C (145 degrees F) medium-rare
71 degrees C (160 degrees F) medium
77 degrees C (170 degrees F) well done
---------------------------------------------------------------------
pork chops, ribs, roasts; ground 71 degrees C (160 degrees F )
beef, ground pork and ground
veal, including sausages made
with ground beef/pork/veal
---------------------------------------------------------------------
stuffing and casseroles, 74 degrees C (165 degrees F)
hot dogs, leftovers, egg dishes;
ground chicken and ground
turkey, including sausages made
with ground chicken/turkey
---------------------------------------------------------------------
chicken and turkey breasts, legs, 74 degrees C (165 degrees F)
thighs and wings
---------------------------------------------------------------------
chicken and turkey, whole bird 85 degrees C (185 degrees F)
---------------------------------------------------------------------

William Marler (Bill) is the managing partner in the law firm Marler Clark L.L.P., P.S. Since 1993, Bill has represented thousands of victims of E. coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Listeria, Shigella, Campylobacter and Norovirus illnesses in over thirty States.

Food poisoning lawsuits against companies responsible for introducing contaminated food into our food supply have become the focus of Billís professional career as an attorney. Billís first client who was injured after consuming contaminated food was nine-year-old Brianne Kiner, who fell with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome after eating a contaminated hamburger during the now-infamous Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak of 1993. Bill negotiated a $15.6 million settlement for Brianneís injuries, a record in the State of Washington for personal injury cases. He resolved several other cases from the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak for over $2.5 million each.

Bill, known as the ìE. coli lawyer,î has since represented thousands of people sickened or killed in outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 and other food borne pathogens, including Salmonella, Hepatitis, Shigella, Campylobacter, Norovirus, and Listeria. In 1998, he negotiated a reported $12 million settlement for the families of children who fell ill after drinking E. coli-contaminated apple juice sold by Odwalla; and in 2001, a jury awarded the families of eleven children Bill represented $4.6 million for the injuries they received during an E. coli outbreak traced to school lunch served at Finley Elementary School in Finley, Washington. He also resolved dozens of E. coli cases in 2003 related to one of the largest meat recalls in United States history. Bill recently settled an E. coli case in New York for a young girl for $11 million. Bill was also able to secure a $6.25 million settlement on behalf of a client who suffered a kidney transplant as part of the Chi-Chiís Hepatitis A outbreak.