Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.modbee.com/news/article122778574.html
December 23, 2016 4:35 PM
More virulent Shigella strain results in 50 hospitalizations in Stanislaus County this year
By Ken Carlson
Stanislaus County health officials have shed more light on a surge in Shigella infections this year.
In an update, officials said 50 people have been hospitalized for the gastrointestinal illness in the past 12 months. The residents were predominately infected with the Shigella sonnei species that was associated with outbreaks in other California counties in 2014 and 2015...
...Dr. John Walker, county public health officer, said the emerging Shigella sonnei infections are a concern because the strain was previously known for fairly mild illness, but it gained an ability to produce the Shiga toxin that causes complications in patients.
Every year sees about 500,000 Shigella infections, resulting in 6,000 hospitalizations and 70 deaths in the United States.
?What is different is that we usually don?t see this particular species (Shigella sonnei) causing hospitalization,? Walker said, explaining why state health experts are watching the local outbreak.
The California Department of Public Health is assisting with the investigation of the 128 cases in Stanislaus County, where the illness seems to spread from person to person. ?Other counties are affected and (the state) is trying to understand the cause and how it?s spread,? Walker said...
December 23, 2016 4:35 PM
More virulent Shigella strain results in 50 hospitalizations in Stanislaus County this year
By Ken Carlson
Stanislaus County health officials have shed more light on a surge in Shigella infections this year.
In an update, officials said 50 people have been hospitalized for the gastrointestinal illness in the past 12 months. The residents were predominately infected with the Shigella sonnei species that was associated with outbreaks in other California counties in 2014 and 2015...
...Dr. John Walker, county public health officer, said the emerging Shigella sonnei infections are a concern because the strain was previously known for fairly mild illness, but it gained an ability to produce the Shiga toxin that causes complications in patients.
Every year sees about 500,000 Shigella infections, resulting in 6,000 hospitalizations and 70 deaths in the United States.
?What is different is that we usually don?t see this particular species (Shigella sonnei) causing hospitalization,? Walker said, explaining why state health experts are watching the local outbreak.
The California Department of Public Health is assisting with the investigation of the 128 cases in Stanislaus County, where the illness seems to spread from person to person. ?Other counties are affected and (the state) is trying to understand the cause and how it?s spread,? Walker said...