Disease Spreading Quickly at Daycare Centers

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Disease Spreading Quickly at Daycare Centers Mick

Treveyhttp://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/8365897.html

MILWAUKEE - The City of Milwaukee Health

Department is investigating an outbreak of a disease that causes cramping and

diarrhea and affects children most of the time.

More than 200 cases of Shigellosis have been diagnosed this year - which is five

times as many as were reported at this time last year. About 25 daycare centers

have been tied to the outbreak according Biedrzycki, the Health

Department's manager of disease control and prevention.

" As few as ten organisms can result in infection so this is a highly

transmissible, quite rampant in institutional settings, " said Biedrzycki.

The bacteria causes symptoms like diarrhea and cramping. Dehydration is also a

concern and several children have been hospitalized in the latest outbreak to

restore fluids.

The bacteria can spread several ways including through direct contact with an

infected person and through food.

Making the current outbreak worse, about seventy-percent of this year's cases

are antibiotic resistant. Families either have to wait a week for the illness to

run its course or have to use stronger antibiotics that are not typically used

on children unless there are unique circumstances.

The Milwaukee Health Department says many of the affected cases are clustered

in a few zip codes. However, Biedrzycki will not say what areas of the city are

most affected until the department finishes its investigation into the illness.

There is concern that the disease is so contagious that the number of cases

might continue to climb. The city is notifying about 1,800 daycare centers to be

extra vigilant about hygiene practices to fight the outbreak.

Glendale's The Nurturing Nook daycare center has not seen any cases but the

owner is reminding staff members to be careful because of the outbreak. " We are

always spraying with Lysol and washing the toys in bleach water and cleaning and

sanitizing all the time, " said Therese Ciofani.

Ciofani knows how serious Shigellosis is because her son caught it while on a

trip to Florida 18 years ago. " We couldn't hold him and we couldn't really be in

there without having gowns and gloves and masks on, " she said.

For more information, visit Shigellosis information from CDC.

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