Surge of Shigellosis in North Dakota Triggers Investigation
A surge in Shigella infections in Rolette County, North Dakota, has prompted investigations. To date, 28 people have confirmed Shigella infections and 10 people have been hospitalized. Attorney Fred Pritzker comments on Shigella infections and investigations.
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) August 4, 2006
An unusually high number of Shigella infections in Rolette County, North Dakota, has triggered a government investigation. According to Julie Goplin, foodborne surveillance epidemiologist with the North Dakota Department of Health, there have been 28 confirmed cases of shigellosis in Rolette County. Ten people have been hospitalized.
As with most cases of shigellosis, finding the source is proving difficult. The State Department of Health is following all possible leads but has not been able to confirm or eliminate any of them. Interviews of victims and their families have not pointed to any single potential cause. Because Shigella can be transmitted from person to person, it is possible a food product sickened one or a few people and the others contracted Shigella poisoning (shigellosis) from person-to-person contact. Experts are conducting DNA fingerprint testing to determine if one strain of Shigella is responsible for the illnesses in Rolette County.
Most people who are infected with Shigella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps starting a day or two after they are exposed to the bacterium. The diarrhea is often bloody. Shigellosis usually resolves in five to seven days. Some persons who are infected may have no symptoms at all but may still pass the Shigella to others.
In some persons, especially young children and the elderly, the diarrhea associated with shigellosis can be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In children under 2, severe shigellosis with high fever may cause seizures. One type of Shigella can cause Reiter's syndrome, which can last for months or years and can lead to chronic arthritis.
“The effects of a Shigella infection can be devastating,” commented foodborne illness attorney Fred Pritzker, who represented Shigella victims in a 2002 jury trial against Ciatti’s restaurant. “The individuals affected by the 2002 outbreak were completely incapacitated and violently ill for weeks on end. The thorough investigation in those cases, however, ultimately proved who was responsible.”
Pritzker | Ruohonen & Associates, P. A. is one of the few law firms in the United States that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. The firm has collected millions of dollars on behalf of victims of shigellosis and other foodborne illnesses. For more information, visit http://www. pritzkerlaw. com (http://www. pritzkerlaw. com), http://foodpoisoning. pritzkerlaw. com (http://foodpoisoning. pritzkerlaw. com), or contact Fred Pritzker at (612) 338-0202l. Pritzker | Ruohonen has offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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