Posted: June 29th, 2012 - 10:32am
Source: Syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y. -- The number of people in Onondaga County sick with a bacterial gastrointestinal infection has climbed to 34.
The county Health Department reported today there are now 21 confirmed cases and 13 probable cases of shigellosis. At the end of last week there were 25 confirmed and probable cases.
Dr. Cnythia Morrow, the county’s health commissioner, said her department has not yet pinpointed the source of the outbreak.
Many of those infected developed fever, painful bloody or mucous diarrhea and stomach cramps a day or two after being exposed to the bacteria, called Shigella. The illness usually clears up in five to seven days. Severe cases need to be treated with antibiotics.
About half of those infected are children under age 10, Morrow said.
The bacteria is present in the stool of the infected person. It can be spread to someone else if an infected person does not wash his or her hands before handling food and touching other people.
Morrow said her investigators suspect the infection is being spread through a combination of contaminated food and person to person transmission.