10 Shigellosis
10.1 Epidemiologic Review
10.1.1 Disease Information
Overview: Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella. Shigellosis is very contagious and just a small amount of the bacteria is enough to make someone sick.
Symptoms: Symptoms commonly include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Some individuals may be asymptomatic.
Transmission: The disease is spread person-to-person via the fecal-oral route. Oral-anal sex while symptomatic can spread the disease. Shigella is very contagious and only a small number of bacteria are needed to make someone ill.
Treatment: Treatment is supportive care. Antibiotics are not recommended unless the infection is severe. Anti-diarrheal medications are also not recommended.
Prevention: Frequent and proper handwashing with soap can help stop the spread of disease. Avoiding oral-anal sex while sick can also prevent the spread of disease.
10.1.2 Demographics
Rates for <1, and 5-17 years of age are not displayed due to low case counts.
| Race | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native, Non Hispanic | <5 cases |
| Asian, Non Hispanic | <5 cases |
| Black or African American, Non Hispanic | 20.8 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.4 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Non Hispanic | 30.2 |
| Other Race, Non Hispanic | <5 cases |
| Two or More Races, Non Hispanic | <5 cases |
| Unknown Race and Ethnicity | <5 cases |
| White, Non Hispanic | 7 |
Rates for American Indian or Alaska Native, Non Hispanic, Asian, Non Hispanic, Other Race, Non Hispanic, Two or More Races, Non Hispanic, and Unknown Race and Ethnicity are not displayed due to low case counts.
10.1.3 Outbreaks
There were 4 National outbreaks with cases linked to Salt Lake County residents in 2023. All the outbreaks identified sexual exposures in the MSM population and foreign travel as high risk factors.
10.1.4 Monthly and Historical Comparisons
2023 had the highest number of cases in the last 5 years.
Data for Utah and the CDC were retrieved from the CDC’s Notifiable Infectious Disease Data Tables.