Unlike the outbreak in Kansas City, the ten cases found in Sedgwick County this year have been of a variety of ages.
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The Kansas City Health Department has investigated more than 143 cases of the disease since the start of the year, officials said.
Transmission of Shigella takes place by direct or indirect fecal-oral contact.
Shigella is caused by bacteria and usually causes patients to have diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. A notable complication among young children may be convulsions.
Health officials say there are now 150 cases of shigellosis, and all but 16 have been since July 1.
Although Sedgwick County doesn’t have any current reported cases, back in 2009 there was a similar outbreak in Wichita with 115. Patients treated with appropriate antimicrobials may have stool carriage of Shigella reduced to a few days.
The microbes appear to be unusually hardy.
According to Tiffany Wilkinson, acting manager for Communicable Disease Prevention Division, in a news release, the concerning part of the outbreak is that three different bacterial strains that are highly resistant to antibiotics have been found.
“With any type of diarrheal illness the best way to stop the spread of disease is to wash your hands, especially before eating or using the restroom or changing diapers”, she said.
Alex Smith is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas. The bacteria can be transferred easily among children because of their poor hand washing habits and tendency to put things in their mouths.
“Don’t use a cloth towel because Shigella is unique in some respects in that it only takes 7 to 10 organisms to get you infected”, Snook said.
Some people may go on without showing symptoms, but still, they can pass on the infection to other people.
Other measures, like properly dispose of diapers of infected children, are asked to be taken.
While all age categories can be affected with Schigella, such cases are much more frequent among children, with elementary schools and daycares being breeding grounds for the bacteria.
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City officials also said certain Shigella carriers require one or two successive negative stool cultures before returning to work or day care.
