Shigella
and Drinking Water from Private Wells
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(118 KB/2 pages) What is shigellosis?
Shigellosis (shi-ghel-O-sis) is an infectious disease caused by a
group of bacteria known as Shigella.� Shigellosis is one of
the most contagious types of diarrhea caused by bacteria.� It is a
common cause of waterborne outbreaks in the United States, though
most of these outbreaks occur in recreational water rather than in
drinking water. �
How can I become infected with shigellosis?
You can be infected with
Shigella through the following ways:
- Person-to-person
contact: most Shigella infections occur when individuals accidentally
put into their mouths something contaminated with feces from a Shigella-infected
person. This often happens when basic personal hygiene and hand-washing
habits are poor.
- Eating contaminated foods: if infected food handlers do not wash their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, they could easily contaminate the foods they are preparing. Vegetables from a field that has sewage in it can become contaminated. The bacteria can also be spread to food items by flies that breed in infected feces.
- Swallowing contaminated drinking or recreational water can also lead to infection.
Where and how does Shigella get into drinking water?
Shigella is found in every part of the United States and throughout the world.� The
bacteria can get into groundwater and private wells through discharges from
faulty septic systems or sewage treatment plants.� Wells may be more vulnerable
to such contamination after flooding, particularly if the wells are shallow,
have been dug or bored, or have been submerged by floodwater for long periods
of time.�
What are
the symptoms of shigellosis?
The most
common symptoms of shigellosis include:
- Diarrhea
that may be mild or severe, watery or bloody
- Fever
- Nausea
Vomiting and abdominal cramps may also occur.� Symptoms generally begin
within 12-96 hours (usually 1-3 days) after exposure to Shigella,
and usually last for 4-7 days.� Some infected people have no symptoms.�
However, persons with weakened immune systems (e.g., person with HIV/AIDS,
cancer patients, and transplant patients) or the elderly may experience
a more serious infection that can lead to severe, if not life-threatening
illness.
What should
I do if I think I have shigellosis?
See your
health care provider to discuss your concerns.� Treatment is available.
How is
a shigellosis infection diagnosed?
A laboratory
test can tell you if Shigella is the cause of your illness.� The
test will identify the bacteria in the stool of an infected person.� Most
laboratories do not routinely look for the organism unless a physician asks
them to do so.� The laboratory can do special tests to tell which type of
Shigella is present and which antibiotics, if any, would treat the
infection most effectively.�
What is the treatment for shigellosis?
If you have a mild infection,
you will usually recover quickly without antibiotic treatment.� Otherwise,
shigellosis can be treated with antibiotics.� Appropriate treatment shortens
the illness by killing the bacteria present in the stool. �Avoid anti-diarrheal
agents such as loperamide (Imodium), because they are likely to make the
illness worse.� Consult with your health care provider.
Although Shigella
can infect anyone, young children and pregnant women are more likely to
become dehydrated from diarrhea; they should drink plenty of fluids while
ill.
How can I remove Shigella from my drinking water?
Heating water at a full boil for 1 minute (3 minutes if you
live in a high altitude) will kill or inactivate Shigella.� Water
should then be stored in a clean container with a lid and refrigerated.
Currently, there is no filter certified to remove the bacteria
from water.� This issue is currently being studied.
You may also
disinfect your well.� Contact your local health department for recommended
procedures. Remember to test your well water periodically after disinfection
to make sure the problem does not recur.
Revised Summer 2003
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