The occurrence of shigellosis in Brazil: a public health problem

• Main Author: Konno Madela, Naiady
• Publication Date: 2017
• Other Authors: Cardiga Alves, Elisabete, Fusco Marques, Denise, Tanury Macruz Peresi, Jacqueline, Zago Castanheira de Almeida, Ivete Aparecida
• Format: Article
• Language: por
• Source: BEPA. Boletim epidemiológico paulista (Online)
• Download full: https://periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br/BEPA182/article/view/37823
• topic: Surtos alimentares; Shigella spp.; Shigelose; Shigella spp.; Shigellosis; Food outbreaks

Shigellosis has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO)as a major global public health problem. Shigella genus is consisted offour species, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, Shigella boydii andShigella sonnei. The aim of this study was to characterize shigellosis asa public health problem through a retrospective study of reports on theoccurrence of food outbreaks chiefly involving the Shigella genus in thegeographical regions of Brazil; and to compare these data with those fromother developed and developing countries. Data regarding shigellosisin Brazil between 1970 and 2013 were evaluated. The southeasternregion of Brazil showed the highest number of reports, being S.sonneithe prevalent species. However, the northern and northeastern regionsreported the highest percentages of morbidity caused by shigellosis,mostly associated with S. flexneri. During the studied period, S. flexneriwas the predominant species in Brazil as a whole, followed by S. sonnei,S. dysenteriae and S. boydii. The proportion of food outbreaks due toShigella in studies on different etiologic agents ranged from 1.4 to 19.4%with predominance of S. sonnei; and this species was responsible for60% of the cases in the five reports on shigellosis outbreaks. Only onereport was found in the southern and none in the midwestern regions ofBrazil. Education and improved public healthcare can help to reducethe incidence of shigellosis; and the innovative strategies, such as thedevelopment of vaccines, would provide substantial benefits to thepopulation.