SHINE SA, 7/3/2019
The shigella outbreak is continuing in South Australia. This is to advise clinicians to be on alert for a potential increase in shigella cases, and to highlight updated recommendations on treatment as released by the Communicable Disease Control Branch (CDCB).
The outbreak is predominantly in men who have sex with men (MSM) and there is a potential for further increase in numbers related to a larger outbreak in Victoria and NSW. We encourage you to be alert for clients who have recently traveled interstate.The CDCB is now recommending that patients with confirmed multi-drug resistant (MDR) shigella (or at risk of MDR shigella while awaiting sensitivities) be treated with five days of Ceftrixaone 1g IV, rather than 1 day (as recommended in the Public Health Alert issued in December 2018).