Investigation of the infection source of a bacillary dysentery cluster among patients in a psychiatric institution in Hualien County

Donald Dah-Shyong Jiang

2006 Vol.22 NO.10

Correspondence Author：

Abstract：

Since 2001, a psychiatric institution in Hualien County has had cases of bacillary dysentery every year: 18 cases in 2001, 12 cases in 2002, 9 cases in 2003, 4 cases in 2004, and 13 cases in 2005. Accordingly, it is necessary to understand the causes and routes of transmission in order to find effective prevention measurements to avoid recurrence of similar events. In this article, we report the investigation findings of four cases of bacillary dysentery found in the institution on December 17, 19 and 22, 2003. The cases occurred in the A4 (three cases) and AS (one cases) wards, and the pathogen was Shigella flexneri type la. The same type of bacteria was identified in cluster events of bacillary dysentery in September and October of 2001 and March of 2002 in the same ward. The purpose of the investigation is to identify possible infection sources and to suggest preventive measurements against the recurrence of bacillary dysentery.