Nearly 200 sickened by
Shigella outbreak in San Francisco area: officials
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[October 27, 2015]
By Curtis Skinner
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Nearly 200 people
in the San Francisco area have been sickened by an intestinal disease
caused by the highly contagious Shigella bacteria since an outbreak
began at a Mexican seafood restaurant 10 days ago, health officials said
on Monday.
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The outbreak, which began on Oct. 16 at the Mariscos San Juan No. 3
restaurant in San Jose, had spread across six counties and infected
182 people as of last Friday, the Santa Clara County Public Health
Department said in a statement.
Many of those sickened have required hospitalization and at least a
dozen were admitted to intensive care units, health officials said.
Health officials say transmission typically occurs when fecal matter
enters the mouth, possibly when an infected food handler prepares
meals consumed by unwitting diners. The department said it is
investigating all possible sources of the contamination.
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Shigella infections can trigger watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal
pain, fever and other symptoms, the department said. The bacteria is
"extremely contagious," it added, urging sickened individuals to
avoid going to work.
Two lawsuits have been filed over the outbreak as of last Friday,
according to the Marler Clark law firm. The restaurant, which has
been closed since Oct. 18, is cooperating with the department's
investigation, health officials said.
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The restaurant's owners could not immediately be reached for comment
on Monday.
Young children, the elderly and HIV-positive individuals are more
likely to suffer severe symptoms, according to the department.
Shigella bacteria cause some 500,000 cases of the diarrheal disease
in the United States every year, according to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner, editing by David Alexander)
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