8/12/2019 Emergence of Resistant Shigella Dysentriae Bacteria in the IDP Camps

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Emergence of resistant Shigella dysentriae bacteria in the IDP camps

The World Health Organization (WHO) office in Eritrea would like to inform all UN

staff, (resident and visiting), None overnmental Organizations, and other !artners thatthe "inistr# of Health of the $tate of Eritrea has notified an out%reak of %lood# diarrhoea

in one &' cam! namel# Harena cam! This information was disclosed at the eighteenth

emergenc# Health and Nutrition meeting, which was held on $e!tem%er *+, *** and atthe Emergenc# coordination !lenar# meeting on $e!tem%er *-, ***

The causative agents were identified to %e Shigella dysentriae and Escherichia coli

%acteriae $higella d#sentriae is from the genus of non.lactose fermenting, non motile

gram.negative %acilli %elonging to the famil# Entero%acteriaceae, that contains a num%erof s!ecies that cause digestive tract distur%ances ranging from mild diarrhoea to a severe

and often fatal bacillary dysentery(a term which is a!!lied to a num%er of intestinaldisorders characterized %# inflammation of the mucous mem%rane of the intestinal tract,

es!eciall# the colon) The %acilli, which cause shigellosis, %elongs to the genus $higella

of which there are three !athogenic grou!s namel# Shiga, Flexnerand Sonnei the lasttwo having man# strains

According to the Ministry of Health the outbreak has not reached an epidemic

proportion and measures to contain it have been taken, including antibiotic

sensitivity.

Epidemiology/acillar# d#senter# in endemic form is found all over the world &t occursin e!idemic form whenever there is a crowded !o!ulation with !oor sanitation, and thus

has %een a constant accom!animent of wars and natural catastro!hes $!read ma# occur

%# contaminated food or drinks %# direct contact or through vectors like flies %ut contactthrough unwashed hands after defecation is %# far the most im!ortant factor Out%reaks

are not uncommon in mental hos!itals, residential schools and other closed institutions

!linical Features The s#m!toms of $higellosis are a%dominal !ain, tenesmus

(s!asmodic contraction of the anal s!hincter with !ain and !ersistent desire to em!t# the

%owel with involuntar# ineffectual straining effort) and diarrhoea with !assage of mucous

or %lood or %oth

The %acteria ($higellae), which were identified from the !atients in the &' cam!s, were

found to %e resistant to the commonl# used first line drugs, which are Trimetho!rimsulfametho0azole (1o.trimo0azole or /actrim) and 2m!icillin However, according to

the "OH the out%reak has not reached an e!idemic !ro!ortion and measures to contain it

8/12/2019 Emergence of Resistant Shigella Dysentriae Bacteria in the IDP Camps

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have %een taken, which include !rovision of the a!!ro!riate drugs (Nalidi0ic acid andNitrofuratoin) to which the %acteriae are sensitive, and environmental sanitation and

education to the !eo!le living in the cam!s

Meanwhile The World health Organization Office in Eritrea recommends that all U

personnel! "Os! other partners and the people in the camps and s#rro#nding areasta$e all preca#tionary meas#res to pre%ent themsel%es from aciring the disease'

"ips for preventing food#borne diseases

3ood %orne diseases are diseases, which are transmitted from an infected !erson toanother via food (meal and drinks) through oro.fecal contamination of the food or drink

either %# direct contact or via a vector like fl# or cockroach To avoid such contamination

and avoid %eing infected the following measures should %e taken4.

$eep cleanwash hands regularl# after contacting a diseased !erson, after visiting a

toilet, handling raw or uncooked food, dirt# materials or contacting with animals

$eep food at safe temperaturekee! hot food reall# hot (a%ove 5* *1) and cold food

cold (%elow 6* *1) 'o not leave food at room tem!erature as this favours the

multi!lication of %acteria, which causes disease like $higellosis

Separate ra% and cooked food$e!arate cooked food from raw and read# to eat food at

all times, raw food es!eciall# meat, !oultr# and fish can contain dangerous micro.organisms, which cannot %e seen with naked e#es

!ook thoroughly 1ook food thoroughl#, es!eciall# meat, !oultr# egg and fish

Thorough cooking kills almost all dangerous microorganisms

&se safe %aterUse safe water To do this #ou have to drink either !re.treated or self

treated water or %oil the water first then cool and drink it Water sources should %e!rotected from getting contaminated The other o!tion is drinking %ottled water Unsafe

water can act as a vehicle for harmful microorganisms 2lwa#s drink !asteurised milk or

%oiled milk

&se of latrineHuman wastes (faeces) should %e dis!osed in latrines 2fter defecation

the !it (hole) should %e covered as this will !revent flies from getting access to the faecesand contaminate food or drinks Washing hands after visiting toilet should not %e

forgotten at an# time