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Shigellosis (bacillary dysentery) among institutional inmates

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Summary

Outbreaks of Shigella infections were investigated in seven New York State mental hospitals or State schools having approximately 30,000 patients.

A total of 3,331 infections (1,078 clinical cases and 2,253 carriers) were identified culturally.

The simplified bacteriological procedures which made it practicable to examine large numbers of patients are described.

The outbreaks were characteristically nonexplosive and of prolonged duration. Most of the clinical cases occurred early in the outbreaks; later the infection was maintained chiefly by passive carriers.

The infection was spread by person to person contact, rather than by water, milk, food or flies.

Clinically there was a wide variation in severity, though most cases had the uneventful course of a “simple diarrhea.”

The differential diagnosis of the diarrheal disorders which prevail among institutional populations is considered.

Methods of control are outlined, with particular emphasis on the place of sulfonamides in the prevention of these infections.

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References

  1. Hardy, A. V., and Watt, James: Newer procedure in laboratory diagnosis and therapy in the control of bacillary dysentery. Am. J. Pub. Health., 34:503–509, May, 1944.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. United States Public Health Service, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Md.

    Albert V. Hardy Surgeon (R) U. S. P. H. S.

Authors
  1. Albert V. Hardy Surgeon (R) U. S. P. H. S.
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Additional information

From the Division of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, U. S. Public Health Service, with the cooperation of the New York State Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene.

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Hardy, A.V. Shigellosis (bacillary dysentery) among institutional inmates. Psych Quar 19, 377–397 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01572643

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01572643

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