She called on doctors to be vigilant.. "Abu Dhabi Health" warns of a bacterial infection that has appeared in Europe
The Abu Dhabi Department of Health informed all healthcare service providers in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi that the World Health Organization had notified, on March 24, of an unusual rise in the number of cases of the widely drug-resistant “Shigella sonnei extensively drug-resistant (XDR)” bacterium. More than that in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and several other countries in the WHO European Region since late 2021 (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain).
Shigella infection (shigellosis) is an intestinal infection caused by a bacteria family known as Shigella, and the most important sign of infection is diarrhea.
In detail, the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, in a circular sent to all healthcare service providers in the emirate, clarified that although most of the recorded infections with "Shigella sonnei" bacteria cause a short period of time of illness and low deaths, shigellosis remains. Multidrug resistance (MDR) and widespread drug resistance (XDR) is a public health concern.
She noted that during efforts to investigate the disease, a number of cases of bacteria resistant to different types of antibiotics were reported, leaving very limited treatment options for moderate to severe cases, noting that S. Sonnei bacteria can be transmitted through the faecal-oral route through contact Direct or indirect consumption of contaminated food or water, and sexual contact with an infected person.
The most common symptoms include watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, fever, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, headache and feeling unwell.
The department stressed that based on the limited information available at this stage, the potential for spread from Europe to other countries is high, so all health professionals must be extra vigilant in dealing with any suspected or confirmed cases of multidrug-resistant or drug-resistant bacteria on Wide range, and attention should be paid to people at risk of infection and travelers from high-risk areas.
She stressed the need for health care providers to immediately report any suspected or confirmed cases of MDR or XDR Shigella Sonnei to the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center through the Infectious Diseases Reporting Website - Foodborne Diseases, and to take the required laboratory samples and send them to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City laboratory, in addition to taking standard precautions and precautions against contact transmitted diseases while dealing with any infected or suspected patient.
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