What IsShigella?
This stomach bug can causedysentery, a jot down of severe diarrhea that contains blood or mucus.
How Is It Spread?
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In the U.S., an estimated 450,000 cases of shigellosis occur every year.
Shigellosis usually affects children under the age of 5.
But recently, the CDC noticed an increase in antibiotic-resistantShigellainfections among adults.
This can happen through sexual contact, eating contaminated food, or swallowing water while swimming.
What Is Norovirus?
How Is It Different fromShigella?
LikeShigella, it also causes diarrhea, but its often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, Bartelt said.
While antibiotics are used to treat severe cases of shigellosis, theres no specific medicine for norovirus.
Antibiotics also wont work for norovirus because its a virus, not a kind of bacteria likeShigella.
For those who are infected with norovirus, the CDC recommends drinking plenty of liquid to prevent dehydration.
The only therapy for norovirus is rest and plenty of fluid intake, Ogunseitan said.
For both, hygiene is extremely important, including frequent hand washing.
Norovirus can also be transmitted through eating contaminated food or coming into direct contact with someone whos infected.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Norovirus national trends.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Increase in extensively drug-resistant shigellosis in the United States.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shigella- shigellosis: information for healthcare professionals.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How you treat norovirus.
