Kerala seeks to contain shigella spread (UPSC Current Affair)

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Why in the News?

The latest episode of probable food poisoning in Kasaragod district is thought to be the result of a shigella bacteria epidemic. This has brought the Shigella Infection to the highlights.

What is shigella Infection?

• Shigella Infection also known as shigellosis, is a contagious intestinal infection. Shigella is a genus of bacteria that causes shigellosis, a type of infection.
• It is the world's second most common cause of bacterial diarrhoea and the third highest cause of death in children under the age of five.

Is Shigellosis a common infection? How many people become infected each year?

• The global number of shigellosis events is estimated to be 164.7 million each year. Shigellosis is responsible for 69% of all episodes and 61% of all deaths in children under the age of five.
• Shigella was shown to be the causal agent in 5% of diarrhoeal cases in a study from South Asian countries. The incidence was 13 new cases per 1,000 children under the age of five per year among children under the age of five.
• Shigellosis has been reported in several locations of India, with an overall isolation rate of 3-6 percent of all stool samples with diarrhoea.

What are the symptoms?

• Incubation: Shigellosis has a 1–4 day incubation period, although Shigella dysenteriae type 1 can take up to 8 days.
• Asymptomatic infection is possible, especially in people who have already been infected. Aside from that, most diseases in healthy people are minor and go away in a few days.
• Common Symptoms are:
  • Diarrhea (often containing blood or mucus)
  • Stomach pain or cramps
  • Fever
  • Nausea or vomiting

How do you get Shigella infection?

People become infected with Shigella by:

• Eating food or drinking liquids contaminated by an infected person.
• Touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching their mouth or putting a contaminated object into their mouth.

What is the treatment?

• Currently, there are no vaccines available for shigellosis due to their large dependence on the prevailing species and serotypes.
• The important step in shigella treatment is the maintenance of hydration and electrolyte balance.
• For young children, oral rehydration with a reduced osmolarity solution.
• Antibiotics are advised for lowering the duration of the illness and preventing transmission.
• The current drugs of choice are:
  • 3rd-generation cephalosporins (ceftriaxone or cefixime)
  • macrolides (azithromycin).