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Thursday, April 23, 2015

Montezuma's revenge...PO Day 308

We've all known someone who ignored the warnings to not drink the local water when in another country. There's usually a high price to pay. But here, at home,  we can drink the water in New York or las Angeles or Houston. No risk.

But the latest news is not good. According to The Washington Post and retold in The Week, shigella, the food borne bacterium responsible for Montezuma's revenge is spreading across the United States.
The United States! Normally responsive to cipro (an antibiotic), a new mutant strain resistant to cipro has appeared. At least 243 people have been infected, 20% required hospitalization.

Half the cases are related to travel but half are home grown. Groan. Something new to worry about.

The CDC is concerned. Shigella is easily spread. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting. It could easily be misdiagnosed as food poisoning. I don't know how one protects oneself from exposure. Hand washing is always a good thing, of course. But is this spread through the water supply in this country as in Mexico? Or restaurant food? Does it pass from person to person through hand contact? A little guidance here, please!

This is going to require a little Google search...

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