An outbreak of shigellosis in a child care centre

Outbreaks of shigellosis in child care are not commonly reported in Australia, however Shigella bacteria can easily spread in these settings. We report an outbreak of shigellosis in a child care centre and discuss the control measures implemented. This investigation identified 20 confirmed cases of Shigella sonnei biotype g and a further 47 probable cases in children and staff who attended a child care centre, and their household contacts. The investigation highlighted the importance of stringent control measures and protocols for dealing with outbreaks of Shigella and other enteric infections in the child care setting, and the importance of prompt notification by both doctors and child care centres, of suspected outbreaks.