Shigellosis 2008-2010
25 January 2012
Monitoring of shigellosis in Denmark is important as it contributes to the investigation of outbreaks and the initiation of preventive measures.
It Shigellosis is caused by bacteria of the Shigella family spread by person-to-person transmission or via contaminated food or water. Laboratory findings are notifiable to the Department for Microbiological Monitoring and Research (DBMP) at Statens Serum Institut and are also clinically notifiable to the Department of Epidemiology. Data from both systems are now publicly available at ssi.dk/data.
The majority of the notified patients were infected abroad. The report published in EPI-NEWS no. 3 2012 shows that the laboratory notification system is nearly complete, but that only slightly more than half of the laboratory-diagnosed cases were notified by the treating physicians. Notification shall be made on paper Form 1515 to the Department of Epidemiology and to the Medical Officers of Health.