According to the Santa Rosa Florida Health Department, cases of Shigellosis are on the rise. The health department has been receiving reports of one or two cases almost on a daily basis and most are in small family clusters and in-home daycare facilities.
Shigellosis is caused by a family of bacteria called Shigella. Symptoms include diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. The disease can be spread when an individual comes into contact with the stools of a person who is sick and fails to properly wash his or her hands before handling or preparing food. Swimmers may also come into contact with Shigella when entering water that has been contaminated by sewage. Cases are often seen in daycare settings among children who are not toilet trained. Most people recover from the infection in about five to seven days without treatment, but more severe cases may require treatment with antibiotics.
Shigella: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Shigella outbreaks. The Shigella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Shigella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Shigella lawyers have litigated Shigella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of sources, such as tomatoes, airplane and restaurant food.
If you or a family member became ill with a Shigella infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Shigella attorneys for a free case evaluation.