Where does Dysentery come from?
The infection comes from other humans. It is found in every country, but is more common where standards of hygiene are poor. For this reason, many infections in the UK affect people who have recently travelled abroad. How do I catch Dysentery? The dysentery bacteria must be swallowed to cause disease. Dysentery is often spread when infected people do not wash and dry their hands properly after using the toilet or changing nappies. It can spread very easily within families when hand hygiene is not adequate. In countries where dysentery is more common, food and water can become contaminated. How will I know if I have Dysentery? Your doctor may ask you to provide a stool sample which will be sent to a laboratory and tested. Dysentery is confirmed by growing Shigella bacteria from your sample. The test takes a few days. How can I avoid Dysentery? If you are looking after someone with diarrhoea, you must wash your hands with soap and hot water and dry your hands thoroughly after cleaning th
