Shigella: What is the bacterial infection that caused illness of hotel guests in Egypt?

Hotel guests in Egypt had to be evacuated following the deaths of a British couple

John and Susan Cooper died at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel (Facebook)

A mother and daughter who were evacuated from a hotel in Egypt following the deaths of a British couple have contracted shigella, a contagious bacterial infection, it's been revealed.

Shigella is a type of bacteria that causes shigellosis, a condition that affects the intestines and digestive system.

Officials are currently investigating the reason why couple John and Susan Cooper passed away at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in Hurghada.

While the cause of their death has not yet been officially confirmed, shigella, the condition that's infected other guests at the same hotel, can cause dysentry and other complications, which may have been contributing factors.

The mother and daughter in question were evacuated from the hotel along with 300 others following a notable rise in illnesses among hotel guests.

Symptoms of shigella can begin to appear after just a day or two once a person has made contact with the bacteria.

However, even if someone’s symptoms may not be as obvious, they could still be contagious for a number of weeks after being infected.

It can be spread through contaminated food and water, and can be easily passed from person to person and off surfaces if people don't wash their hands thoroughly.

Here’s everything you need to know about shigella, including the causes, symptoms and how to treat it:

What is shigella?

Shigella infection, otherwise known as shigellosis, is an infection that’s caused by a type of bacteria called shigella.

Shigella bacteria has a similar genetic makeup to E. coli bacteria, which reportedly caused many people to become ill in Canada following consumption of contaminated romaine lettuce.

Shigella is a contagious infection that causes people to experience diarrhoea.

While symptoms may appear a day or two after coming into contact with the bacteria, they can take longer to appear.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of shigella infection include diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and a fever.

Sometimes a person who’s been contaminated may notice that their diarrhoea contains blood or mucus as well.

The symptoms may take a day or two to develop. However, they can also take up to a week to show.

Even if a person isn’t showing symptoms yet, if they’ve been infected with shigella then their diarrhoea can still be contagious to others.

What are the causes?

The infection can be spread by swallowing contaminated water, eating contaminated food or touching your mouth if your hands have made contact with the bacteria.

For example, if you’ve been changing the nappy of a baby that’s been infected, then touching your mouth afterwards before washing your hands properly can cause contamination.

Foodsafety.gov states that in order to avoid contamination, you should avoid swallowing water from public bodies of water such as ponds or lakes, throw away dirty nappies properly, wash your hands efficiently after going to the toilet and avoid preparing food for other people when you’re suffering from diarrhoea.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 80 to 165 million cases of shigella worldwide every year.

Around 600,000 people die on an annual basis as result of the illness, as outlined by the organisation.

How can you treat it?

Shigella infection may take a few weeks or months to dissipate.

The CDC states that the majority of people who suffer from the infection can usually get better in as little as five to seven days without any treatment.

The organisation recommends drinking plenty of fluids in order to avoid becoming dehydrated.

Furthermore, certain people may be at greater risk of developing a more serious case of the illness, such as those who have weak immune systems, young children, those suffering from HIV or AIDs and those who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

If a person suffering from shigella feels extremely sick, has painful stomach cramps or has bloody diarrhoea, then they should contact a medical professional.

A person with shigellosis may then be provided with antibiotics to treat the condition.