Shigella outbreaks, which have been linked to waterparks, raw oysters, and fresh produce, usually occur in the spring and summer, according to research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Each year, about 450,000 cases of shigellosis are reported in the U.S.
Symptoms of a Shigella infection include fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea that can be bloody, and the urge to have a bowel movement even when the bowels are empty. These symptoms usually develop within one to two days of exposure and last about a week. But, in some cases, severe complications can occur including Reiter’s syndrome, reactive arthritis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
How do you get a Shigella infection?
Shigellosis is extremely infectious because the bacteria spread easily and it only takes a small number of them to cause illness. Shigella infections are spread through the fecal-oral route, meaning bacteria in an infected person’s stool is ingested. This can happen in childcare settings by touching contaminated surfaces such as toys, bathroom fixtures, changing tables, or diaper pails, and then touching your mouth; eating food prepared by someone with an infection who did wash hands carefully after using the restroom; swallowing contaminated recreational water, eating food that was grown or processed with contaminated water; or through sexual contact with someone who has an infection.
Recent Shigella Outbreaks
2021 Tanganyika Splash Park Shigella Outbreak
Eight people who visited the splash park at the Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kansas on June 11, 2021, developed Shigella infections. The illnesses were reported among visitors to the park from different counties who likely became infected by swallowing contaminated water.
2019 Raw Oyster Shigella Outbreak
In 2019, raw oysters were linked to a five-state outbreak that sickened 16 people. Harvested in Baja California Sur, Mexico from the Estero El Cadron, the oysters were contaminated with Vibrio, Shigella, E. coli Campylobacter Norovirus.
2018 Yamhill County, Oregon Wedding Shigella Outbreak
In 2018, 112 people who attended a wedding in Yamhill County, Oregon were sickened in a Shigella outbreak linked to tainted asparagus. Ten people were hospitalized.
2017 Souplantation Shigella Outbreak
In 2017, a Shigella outbreak at Souplantation restaurant in Camarillo, CA sickened eight people. The restaurant temporarily closed during the investigation.
Free Shigella Lawsuit Consultation
If you contracted a Shigella infection and would like a free consultation with an experienced Shigella lawyer about a potential lawsuit, please contact the Pritzker Hageman Shigella Legal Team. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or by completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.
