Infection Control Resources to Identify Shigella and Other Pathogens in Puerto Rico

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports there are an estimated 450,000 cases of shigellosis, an infection caused by Shigella bacteria, in the United States each year. Unfortunately, a growing number of these infections involve drug-resistant Shigella.

The four species of Shigella listed by the CDC include:

• Shigella sonnei (the most common species in the United States)
• Shigella flexneri
• Shigella boydii
• Shigella dysenteriae

“Shigella spreads easily, and it can be transmitted from one person to another, or through contaminated water, food, surfaces, or objects,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “Shigella germs are found in feces, so anything that gets contaminated by feces can potentially spread the germs. Children are one of the groups the CDC lists as being at greater risk of getting shigellosis. Fortunately, most people who get the infection get better without antibiotic treatment in 5 to 7 days, according to the agency.”

Past outbreaks have taken place in healthcare centers, nursing homes, restaurants, water parks, schools, and daycare centers. To stop its spread, it’s crucial that people thoroughly wash their hands and that surfaces are properly cleaned and disinfected. The good news is there are ways to test equipment, surfaces, and other environmental samples for Shigella and other pathogens to assess the effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection procedures, or to help identify the source of an outbreak if one has already occurred.

Dedicated to supporting these efforts are the professionals at Zimmetry Environmental. They offer building assessments, environmental testing, monitoring, consulting, and infection control training services. They have even sponsored an educational video about Shigella and shigellosis that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/h6HCGNg2qKw

To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their infection control, indoor environmental quality, compliance, and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005, or email info@zimmetry.com.

About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail