Decatur, IL and surrounding Macon County appears to be another hotspot for Shigella. Macon County Health officials are reporting 68 cases of Shigella since last November, with 19 cases through the first half of April.
In his blog, Paul Osborne, editor of the Decatur Tribune, reports that statewide there are about 1,300 cases of Shigella each year, but he adds this important note:
Because some mild cases go unreported, it is expected that at least 20 times more people are actually infected with the bacterium. Laboratory tests can be done to diagnose Shigella and in some cases, antibiotics can be used to treat the condition.
For Editor Osborne’s complete discussion about Shigella in his community, go here.
We agree with his conclusion: “This is certainly something we don’t want spreading in our community.”