An investigation to an illness outbreak caused by Shigella sonnei at a daycare in The Republic of Korea in October 2014 was traced to a child who had visited Vietnam.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that improved hygiene and infection control practices are needed to prevent future outbreaks.
The six children infected reported vomiting, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Fecal samples from the patients were collected and examined. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) found Shigella sonnei phase II in all fecal samples.
Further investigation found an infected 8-year-old boy had recently traveled to Vietnam to visit family. Shigella sonnei is highly endemic in Vietnam and increasingly prevalent in Southeast Asia. Once he returned, he experienced severe diarrhea. Shortly after, children at the daycare center he attends began reporting the same symptoms.
Of the 15 children who became sick, 10 were treated with cefotaxime or ciprofloxacin, which successfully treated the illness. Five patients who still tested positive for fecal culture, were treated with cabapenems. This has led to the conclusion that numerous antimicrobial drug–resistant Shigella sonnei clones have spread across geographic regions. Without proper treatment, it may lead to increased illness and death rates.
The CDC recommends:
- improved surveillance
- improved hygiene and infection control plans
- better education for travelers.
To learn more about Shigella sonnei and to find out if you are at risk, visit the CDC.
