Prevention of Shigellosis
Hygienic practices help in prevention of dysentery caused by Shigella infection
Educating the public on the importance of frequent hand-washing after using toilet or before serving food can prevent outbreaks of shigellosis and gastroenteritis worldwide.
Shigella spreads by food getting contaminated with fecal matter.
- Hygienic practices, such as washing hands thoroughly using soap and water is a must especially after –
- Visiting the toilet
- After changing diapers
- Before food preparation
- Before eating a meal
- Salads should be thoroughly washed before consumption
- It is important to properly store salads and cooked food which are refrigerated
For a traveler to a tropical or developing country, the best dictum to follow is – "boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it". Travelers should also avoid eating salads, drinking pooled water and stick to drinking bottled water.."
- How does the shigella infection spread?
- When individuals with Shigellosis wash themselves after a visit to the toilet, their fingers can easily contaminate objects such as toilet door, taps, towels and flush.
- When another person touches the contaminated objects they get infected. People with the symptoms of shigellosis should avoid using public toilet for they are prone to spread the infection
- Remember that many child day care centres can become a health hazard if proper measures are not followed.
In Science Shams and Bible Bloopers, David Mills describes daycare centres as follows: The typical daycare center...spreads far more infection and communicable disease than the county jail."
Preventive measures in 'Child Care Centres' -
- Soiled diapers should be properly disposed
- Hand washing of children and toddlers should be supervised after they visit the toilet
- Area where diapers are changed should be properly disinfected and regularly cleaned
- Children suffering from diarrhea should not be allowed in day-care centres
- Insects infesting the fecal matter of an infected person can spread the bacterium around. Therefore insect - control methods should be practiced.
- Adequate chlorination of the water supply can to a large extent control bacillary dysentery epidemics.
- It is important to drink water free from bacterial contamination. It is ideal to thoroughly boil water before drinking it.
- Pasteurization of all milk and dairy products should be practiced
- Milk and water for infant feeding all should always be boiled. Bottles and teats should similarly be cleaned and changed if necessary.
