On September 30, 2010, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced an imported case of shigellosis. This case is a 40-year-old male who travelled to Changsha City, Hunan Province, China with a tour group from September 16 to 23. On September 20, the case subsequently developed symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain and diarrhea. To ease his symptoms, he took nonprescription drugs without seeking medical attention. On September 23, upon arriving in Taiwan, his fever was detected by the fever screening station at the airport. He informed the airport quarantine personnel about his symptoms during the trip. The personnel then immediately reported this case and collected specimens for diagnostic testing. On September 30, Taiwan CDC confirmed shigellosis in the case. According the epidemiologic investigation, the drinks consumed during the trip were suspected as the source of shigellosis infection. In addition, three other members of the tour group had the symptoms of diarrhea during the trip. Currently, the health authorities have obtained the complete list of the tour group members and have been contacting each of them to learn about their health conditions as part of epidemic prevention efforts.
As of October 2, 2010, 106 confirmed cases of shigellosis, including 39 indigenous cases and 67 imported cases, have been reported this year. Most of the imported cases (55) came from southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand. The remaining 8 cases were from China. Based on data compiled over the past three years, the popular travel destinations: Indonesia, Cambodia and China are the top three contributors of imported shigellosis cases in Taiwan. The public is advised to pay attention to food hygiene when visiting these areas for business or sightseeing.
The incubation period of shigellosis is 12 to 96 hours (1-3 days), but sometimes it may last as long as 1 week. Symptoms include mild to severe diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, rectal tenesmus (difficulty to empty the bowel for defecation) and bloody or watery stools. It is possible to develop no symptoms in some cases. Contracting shigellosis during travelling can be tremendously disruptive to the itinerary and emotions, not to mention the possibility of carrying the disease back home and spreading it to family members and friends. To prevent possible infections, Taiwan CDC urge people visiting tropical and subtropical countries where shigellosis is a common epidemic disease to avoid raw produce or food purchased from dirty stalls, always wash hands before meals and pay attention to dietary and personal hygiene.
In addition, travelers experiencing suspicious symptoms should notify accompanying tour guides and contact quarantine services at the airport to seek medical attention. Informing doctors of personal travel history is important not only for the diagnosis, but also for the health authority’s measures to prevent epidemic diseases. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline 1922.