Syracuse, N.Y. -- An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in Onondaga County that began in the summer and then started dying out is making a comeback.
The Onondaga County Health Department reported today it is seeing a resurgence of Shigellosis, a bacterial infection. The department has received reports of 120 confirmed and 50 probable cases of the illness since the outbreak began in June.
The outbreak is unusually large. Onondaga County had four cases of shigellosis in 2011 and three in 2010.
Many people who get the infection develop fever, diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps a day or two after being exposed to the bacteria, called shigella. The illness usually clears up in five to seven days. Severe cases need to be treated with antibiotics.
The bacteria is present in the stools of infected people. It can be spread when infected people fail to wash their hands after using the bathroom and before handling food eaten by others or coming into contact with others.
The Health Department said it believes most of the cases are being caused by person to person transmission within the community. The Health Department said clusters of cases have been associated with child care and adult care programs, but many cases have been scattered throughout the community.
More than half of all the cases involve children, most of them youngsters age 5 and under.
The Health Department has contacted child care facilities and schools throughout the county to provide education about the outbreak and tips to prevent the disease from spreading.
The best way to prevent Shigellosis is through hand washing with soap and water or alcohol-based gel if soap and water is not available, according to the department.
The department is advising people to wash their hands after using the bathroom, before eating, after playing outdoors, after changing diapers, after petting animals and after sneezing, coughing or blowing their nose.