According to the surveillance data compiled by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC), a total of 5 incidents of imported shigellosis cases have been confirmed in travelers who returned from Cambodia in July, 2013. Three incidents involved traveling with a tour group, while the other two involved a self-guided tour. An accumulative total of 7 cases of shigellosis have been confirmed. According to the initial epidemiological investigation, the three tour groups had not shared the same hotel and restaurant during their tours. In addition, according to laboratory test results, several shigella strains are currently circulating in Cambodia. The local health authority will continue to monitor the health of the cases and the close contacts. According to Taiwan CDC’s surveillance data, thus far this year, a total of 27 shigellosis cases were confirmed in Taiwanese nationals. Among them, 16 cases were imported: 9 cases came from Cambodia, 2 cases came from Indonesia, 2 cases came from India, 1 case came from Thailand, 1 case came from the Philippines, and 1 case came from China. Taiwan CDC would like to remind travelers to pay attention to dietary and hand hygiene and consume only thoroughly-cooked food and bottled water when traveling to Southeast Asia to ensure health.

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 endemic to avoid raw produce or food purchased from dirty stalls, always wash hands before meals and pay attention to dietary and personal hygiene. Taiwan CDC urges travelers experiencing discomfort during the trip or upon arrival to inform the tour guide for seeking immediate medical attention and contact quarantine services at the airport for facilitating implementation of subsequent measures that prevent further spread of the disease. 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. Further, tour guides are advised to pay attention to the health status of tour group members. When a tour group member develops suspicious symptoms, tour guides are advised to voluntarily report such a case and provide the contact information of all tour group members and the itinerary of the tour group to the quarantine officer at the airport in order to facilitate diagnosis, follow-up and implementation of necessary measures.

For any questions or further information, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, or 0800-024582 if calling from a cell phone, or visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.