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Shigella
outbreak being investigated Source of
Article: http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/article/20090801/NEWS01/908010303/1002/Shigella-outbreak-being-investigated ZANESVILLE --The
Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department is continuing to wait on
results from testing of individuals who may have transmitted shigella. Health officials are investigating a
shigella outbreak after two children who attend Rufus Putnam Daycare tested
positive for the infectious disease. One is a 2-year-old girl and the other
is a 3-year-old girl. "We've had
two positive cultures of shigella bacteria. Both are children at a day-care
center. There are 79 children at the center so we got concerned," said
Vicki Whitacre, medical director of the health department. This however,
does not mean that the center is the source of the infection. Shigella is an
infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria. It is most commonly the
result of the bacteria being passed from stool or dirty fingers to another
person's mouth. It can be spread as a food-borne illness. Common symptoms
include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps starting a day or two after
exposure. The diarrhea is often bloody. Shigellosis usually ends in five to
seven days. Whitacre said
both children went to doctors and, once the culture tested positive, the
health department was made aware of it. The first case was reported July 17,
but because of a difficulty in connecting with the child's parents, the
connection of the day-care center was not immediately known. According to
Whitacre, the second report came July 24. Once the health department was able
to talk to the parents, they made the connection to Rufus Putnam Daycare. Whitacre said 15
people who had some connection with the children have reported some sort of
diarrhea symptoms. All are being tested. In addition, she said since this is
a food-borne illness all food preparers are being tested. The food is
prepared off site, Whitacre said, and those people also prepare food for
other programs. None have displayed any symptoms, she said. People with
diarrhea of infectious or unknown cause are not permitted to attend a
child-care center or work in a sensitive occupation and may return only after
the diarrhea has ended. The Rufus Putnam
Daycare is operated out of the former Rufus Putnam Elementary School, 920
Moxahala Ave., and was inspected, Whitacre added. Whitacre said
the best thing to prevent shigella is simply for people to do a good job
washing their hands. She said washing your hands with soap and water is
better than using a hand sanitizer and people should sing the "Happy
Birthday" song while washing their hands if they need to make sure they
are doing it long enough. During 2008,
there were three cases of shigella in Muskingum County; 677 cases have been
reported statewide this year. |
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