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Fresh Shigella case detected in north Kerala
The shigella outbreak came to light last week after the death of an 11-year-old boy in Kozhikode district. At least 30 people were diagnosed with infection, but they recovered after a few days and health officials said the infection had been contained.
A new case of the shigella bacterial infection was reported from north Kerala on Thursday, a couple of days after the state health department claimed the disease had been contained effectively.
The shigella outbreak came to light last week after the death of an 11-year-old boy in Kozhikode district. At least 30 people were diagnosed with infection, but they recovered after a few days and health officials said the infection had been contained.
District medical officer V Jayashree said a one-and-a-half year old boy who contracted the infection was responding well to treatment. She said the boy, who belongs to Ferokke, had been suffering from diarrhoea for many days; tests revealed that he had been infected by shigella. She said samples of the parents were also sent for tests and the source of pathogen wasn’t known.
According to medical experts, the shigella bacteria triggers an infection called shigellosis, which is usually mild, but it can be serious in patients with comorbid conditions. They said the bacteria, after entering the body either through contaminated water or through stale food, attacks the epithelial lining of the colon, triggering inflammation of the cells. In most cases, patients may experience diarrhoea and fever, symptoms that subside after sometime.
Children below 10 years are prone to contracting the infection, experts said. Those changing the diapers of babies ought to wash their hands properly, and while swimming it was advisable not to sip or gargle water. Boiled water, home- cooked food and personal hygiene are advised by doctors to keep the bacteria away.
