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Published on: May 24, 2018
[A Shigella sonnei outbreak in Nagasaki]
A Hamamoto1, K Kinosita, N Suyama
1Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nagasaki Municipal Medical Center.
Summary
An outbreak of Shigella sonnei dysentery in Nagasaki was traced to a contaminated university well. Levofloxacin treatment effectively cleared the infection in patients, highlighting the importance of water source control.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Dysentery outbreaks pose significant public health challenges.
- Shigella sonnei is a common cause of bacterial dysentery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical features and bacterial characteristics of a Shigella sonnei outbreak in Nagasaki.
- To identify the source of the infection and evaluate treatment efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Clinical data collection from 96 patients treated at Nagasaki Municipal Medical Center.
- Bacterial culture and identification of Shigella sonnei from patients and environmental samples.
- Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (levofloxacin, ofloxacin, fosfomycin) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
Main Results:
- Shigella sonnei was identified in 467 suspected cases, with 346 hospital admissions.
- The outbreak originated from contaminated well water at a university.
- Levofloxacin (300 mg/day for 5 days) was highly effective in eradicating S. sonnei.
- All isolates were susceptible to levofloxacin and ofloxacin; three showed resistance to fosfomycin.
Conclusions:
- Contaminated well water was the source of the Shigella sonnei outbreak.
- Levofloxacin is an effective treatment for Shigella sonnei infections.
- Environmental surveillance and prompt antimicrobial treatment are crucial for managing dysentery outbreaks.
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