ME CDC Issues HAN Shigellosis
Shigellosis, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness characterized by sudden onset of fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea that is often bloody. It spreads primarily through the fecal–oral route—most commonly via contaminated hands, food, water, or surfaces—and even a very small number of organisms can cause infection, which makes outbreaks particularly easy to sustain in settings such as daycares, nursing homes, shelters, and group living environments. Symptoms typically appear within one to three days of exposure, and while many cases resolve on their own, severe illness can occur, especially in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. Increasing antibiotic resistance among Shigella strains has become a growing public health concern, making prevention through hand hygiene, safe food handling, and proper sanitation especially important.
Click Here to Read the HAN and the
federal CDC's health notice.
Staff Contact:
mcarland@mehca.org
