Daily Current Affairs Article 23rd December 2020: Health officials in Kozhikode district of Kerala kicked in preventive measures last week after six cases of shigella infection and nearly two dozen suspected cases were detected.
Shigellosis, or shigella infection, is a contagious intestinal infection caused by a genus of bacteria known as shigella.
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The bacteria is one of the prime pathogens responsible for causing diarrhoea, fluctuating between moderate and severe symptoms, especially in children in African and South Asian regions.
The bacteria, after entering the body through ingestion, attacks the epithelial lining of the colon resulting in inflammation of the cells and subsequently the destruction of the cells in severe cases.
The common symptoms are diarrhoea (often bloody and painful), stomach pain, fever, nausea and vomiting.
The infection is known to spread person-to-person when the bacteria is swallowed accidentally. Spread through contaminated food and water is the most common form of transmission across the world.
Prevention: It’s important to wash hands with soap especially after dealing with a child’s diaper and before preparing/eating food.
