Sky News Headline; says: 'As flood-hit regions are braced for more rain, analysis of floodwater has revealed the diseases lurking after the waters recede. There are more flood warnings in place across Gloucestershire tonight, which is still struggling to recover from the downpours last weekend. And in the town of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, analysis of floodwater in a home has revealed 1,000 times more E.Coli in water inside the house than outside.Sky News tested water at the home of Bill and Joan Hunt and found it heavily contaminated. Preliminary results show salmonella, shigella and rotavirus are likely to be present. Sky News' Lisa Burke says people should avoid drinking or even touching the water.'
Shigella (Wikipedia)
Shigella infection is typically via ingestion (fecal–oral contamination); depending on age and condition of the host as few as ten bacterial cells can be enough to cause an infection. Shigella cause dysentery that results in the destruction of the epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa in the cecum and rectum. Some strains produce enterotoxin and Shiga toxin, similar to the verotoxin of E. coli O157:H7.Both Shiga toxin and verotoxin are associated with causing hemolytic uremic syndrome. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and straining to have a bowel movement. The stool may contain blood, mucus, or pus (e.g. dysentery). In rare cases, young children may have seizures. Symptoms can take as long as a week to show up, but most often begin two to four days after ingestion. Symptoms usually last for several days, but can last for weeks. Shigella is implicated as one of the pathogenic causes of reactive arthritis worldwide.
Rotavirus (Wikipedia)
Rotaviruses are transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Person-to-person spread through contaminated hands is probably the most important means by which rotaviruses are transmitted in close communities such as pediatric and geriatric wards, day care centers and family homes.
Infected food handlers may contaminate foods that require handling and no further cooking, such as salads, fruits, and hors d'oeuvres. Rotaviruses are quite stable in the environment and have been found in estuary samples at levels as high as 1-5 infectious particles/gal. Sanitary measures adequate for bacteria and parasites seem to be ineffective in endemic control of rotavirus, as similar incidence of rotavirus infection is observed in countries with both high and low health standards.
Humans of all ages are susceptible to rotavirus infection. Children 6 months to 2 years of age, premature infants, the elderly, and the immunocompromised are particularly prone to more severe symptoms caused by infection with group A rotavirus.
