Shigella and salmonella are both bacterial infections that affect the gut and can cause symptoms including diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps.<\/p>\n
Though many who are infected make a full recovery, young children, elderly people, pregnant women and people with existing conditions or a weakened immune system can experience severe symptoms and suffer potentially life-threatening complications.<\/p>\n
The two bacteria are spread through contact with contaminated faeces, either directly through person-to-person transmission or indirectly from unclean food, water or surfaces.<\/p>\n
People travelling to Cape Verde are advised to:<\/p>\n
eat food that is freshly prepared, fully cooked and served piping hot<\/p>\n
drink bottled or boiled water and avoid ice in drinks<\/p>\n
use bottled or boiled water when brushing your teeth<\/p>\n
only eat fruit you’ve peeled yourself <\/p>\n
avoid salads that may not have been washed in clean water<\/p>\n
“Taking a few simple precautions against traveller’s diarrhoea and food poisoning can make all the difference,” Dr Gauri Godbole, the UKHSA’s deputy director for gastrointestinal infections and food safety, said.<\/p>\n
“The best way to avoid gastrointestinal infections, including shigella and salmonella, or passing them to others, is simply by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol gel \u2013 particularly after using the toilet, changing nappies, and before eating or preparing food.”<\/p>\n
The UKHSA said the majority of shigella cases were among people who had been to the Santa Maria and Boa Vista areas of Cape Verde.<\/p>\n
Santa Maria is a resort town on Sal Island, while Boa Vista is the cape’s most easterly island. The archipelago typically sees temperatures of around 25C in February.<\/p>\n
Dr Damien Tully, an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, previously told the BBC<\/a> that outbreaks of shigella were “not unusual, particularly in busy hospitality settings where large numbers of people are eating and sharing facilities”.<\/p>\n He said buffet-style catering can increase the risk and be a “breeding ground” for bacteria and viruses.<\/p>\n