Shigellosis

Statutory notification

• Shigellosis infection is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• See notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB).
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB) or regional residents (PDF 208KB).
• For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health management

Important information

• Infectious agent: Shigella (S. sonnei, S. flexneri, S. boydii and S. dysenteriae) bacteria.
• Transmission: Faecal-oral, most commonly person-to-person.
• Incubation period: 12 to 96 hours (usually 1 to 3 days).
• Infectious period: Most infectious while symptomatic and low risk post recovery, although Shigella may persist in the faeces (usually no longer than 4 weeks after symptoms cease). Use contact transmission- based precautions for hospitalised and institutionalised patients.
• Case exclusion: Until asymptomatic, including normal stools, for 24 hours. If patient works in health-care, aged-care, child-care or is a food handler or attends child-care exclude until asymptomatic, including normal stools, for 48 hours. If patient has S. dysenteriae infection and works in health-care, aged-care, child-care or is a food handler or attends child-care, two consecutive negative faecal specimens collected at least 24 hours apart are required for clearance. See OGuidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB).
• Contact exclusion: Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB).
• Treatment: Oral rehydration and antibiotic treatment as recommended by the doctor.
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: Generally only clusters or outbreaks investigated, by the Communicable Disease Control Directorate with assistance from public health units.

Guidelines

• OD 0490/14 Public Health Follow-up of Sporadic Enteric Disease Notifications 
• Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB) 
• Communicable Disease Guidelines, for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners
• Guidelines for the Management of Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities (PDF 2.74 MB)
• Treatment for Shigella infections (‘Shigellosis’) in Western Australia
• Treatment guideline for shigellosis in remote populations of Western Australia
• Treatment guideline for multi-drug resistant (MDR) shigellosis in Western Australia

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports