NORFOLK, Va. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning people about the rising threat of a drug-resistant bacteria.
Officials say the bacteria is called shigella, and infections from it can cause a fever, abdominal cramping, serious stomach problems, and diarrhea.
"You're going to get a lot of diarrhea from this, and a lot of stomach cramping and pain, and usually it's self-limiting. It will go away on its own, even though it's a bacterial infection," said Dr. Ryan Light, a family medicine physician with Tidewater Physicians Multispecialty Group in Hampton Roads.
Dr. Light said outbreaks of shigella bacteria often spread through sex, contaminated food, water, and surfaces.
News 3 caught up with a local restaurant about how they're beefing up their safety measures to prevent outbreaks.
"We follow all the procedures as far as making sure we don't cross contaminate surfaces, and we sanitize before and afterwards. We try and do everything we can to keep everything safe, for our people as well as the people coming in," said Ron Reed with AJ Gator's Sports Bar and Grill.
When it comes to handling food inside the kitchen of AJ Gator's, employees are stepping up to the plate.
Reed told News 3 washing hands is a priority, and wearing gloves can prevent the spread of illnesses, including shigella.
"We will keep a closer eye on that, making sure that when people come in, they're not feeling ill and if they are we will do what we have to do. Safety is number one," said Reed.
According to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), so far in 2023, health officials have recorded 16 shigellosis cases.
The infection is commonly reported among young children, but adults are not exempt.
"We've kind of got kids back on track, but we need to reiterate how we prevent a lot of these childhood illnesses. A good start is good hand hygiene and not sharing things," said Light.
Dr. Light said what concerns him the most about Shigella is patients with drug-resistant infections who need to be treated with antibiotics.
According to the CDC, many shigelloses' cases can be cured with rest and hydration, but without treatment, more severe cases can result in hospitalizations and death.
