Press Release
Three cases of bacillary dysentery under investigation
10 August 2005
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 10) urged members of the public to be on guard against food-borne infections following three cases of laboratory-confirmed bacillary dysentery (shigellosis) notified between August 8 and 10.
The three cases consisted of one man and two women aged from 20 to 35. They had onset of diarrhea and abdominal pain between August 2 and 4. They sought treatment at the Accident and Emergency Department of Prince of Wales Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Tseung Kwan O Hospital respectively between August 4 and 5. All of them had recovered. These three cases were separate and did not know each other. Their family contacts presently do not have any symptoms. Health advice was given to them.
Detailed investigations on food histories of the three cases by the CHP revealed that they had eaten the food from a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui on August 1. One of the three laboratory-confirmed cases was an employee of the restaurant. Further case finding efforts discovered four other people, all females aged 21 to 36, who ate food from the restaurant also developed symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal pain. Stool specimens are being collected from them to ascertain the diagnosis. Two of them have recovered and two other are in stable condition.
Bacillary dysentery is an intestinal infection caused by a group of Shigella bacteria which can be found in human gut. The illness is characterized by sudden onset of fever, diarrhoea with abdominal cramps and nausea or vomiting. The stool may contain blood and mucus.
Bacillary dysentery is transmitted directly by faecal material of a patient/carrier or indirectly through contaminated food and water. Infection may occur after consuming a small number of the germs. The infection can spread among household members or in institutions.
The incubation period usually lasts for one to three days, but can be up to seven days.
The public are reminded to observe good personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times to prevent food-borne diseases. When dining out:
- Only patronize reputable and licensed restaurants;
- Do not patronize illegal food hawkers;
- Cook food thoroughly;
- Avoid eating raw seafood;
- Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi and raw oysters in a buffet;
- Drink boiled water;
- Use two sets of chopsticks and eating utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
- Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine and wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective;
- Always wash hands before eating and after going to toilet.