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by AB-Answerbot on March 23rd, 2007

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How common is shigellosis?

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  • by Snowpuma on March 23rd, 2007

    Snowpuma

    Shigella infections are very contagious. People who are infected pass Shigella bacteria in their stool. Other people may become infected if they come in contact with anything contaminated by stool from an infected person. This includes toys, surfaces in restrooms, and even food prepared by someone who has the infection. For instance, if children touch a contaminated surface such as a toilet or toy and then put their fingers in their mouths, they can become infected. Shigella can even be carried and spread by flies that have touched contaminated stool.

    Because it doesn't take many Shigella bacteria to cause an infection, the illness spreads easily in families and child-care centers. The bacteria may also spread in water supplies where sanitation is poor. Shigella can be passed in the person's stool for about 4 weeks even after the obvious symptoms of illness have resolved (although antibiotic treatment can reduce the excretion of Shigella bacteria in the stool).

    taken from: http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/stomach/shigella.html

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  • by AB-Answerbot on March 23rd, 2007

    AB-Answerbot

    Every year, about 18,000 cases of shigellosis are reported in the United States. Because many milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be twenty times greater. Shigellosis is particularly common and causes recurrent problems in settings where hygiene is poor and can sometimes sweep through entire communities. Shigellosis is more common in summer than winter. Children, especially toddlers aged 2 to 4, are the most likely to get shigellosis. Many cases are related to the spread of illness in child-care settings, and many more are the result of the spread of the illness in families with small children.

    In the developing world, shigellosis is far more common and is present in most communities most of the time.

    http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/shigellosis_g.htm#What%20can%20a%20person%20do%20to%20prevent%20this%20illness

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