Ammon News -

The number of food poisoning cases among students at Ibdar and Hatem primary schools in Bani Kanana, Irbid, has climbed to 55, three days after the outbreak linked to meals from a falafel restaurant.

Dr. Ayman Maqableh, Director of the Epidemiology Department at the Ministry of Health, told "Ammon News" that lab tests confirmed the presence of the Shigella bacterium as the cause of the infections.

What is Shigella, according to Mayo Clinic?

Shigella infection is an illness that affects the intestine. Another name for it is shigellosis. It's caused by a group of germs called shigella bacteria.

Children under age 5 are most likely to get shigella infection. But the illness can happen at any age. The germs that cause it spread easily through an infected person's stool. The germs can get on fingers, on surfaces, or into food or water. Infection happens after the germs are swallowed.

The main symptom of shigella infection is diarrhea that can be bloody or long lasting. Other symptoms can include fever and stomach pain.

Most often, shigella infection clears up on its own within a week. Treatment for serious illness may include medicines called antibiotics that get rid of the germs.

Help prevent shigella infection by washing hands often, especially after changing a diaper or using the bathroom. And if you swim in ponds, lakes or swimming pools, try not to swallow the water.

Symptoms
Symptoms of shigella infection usually start a day or two after contact with the germs that cause it. Sometimes, the illness takes up to a week to start.

Symptoms can include:

Diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus, and that may last more than three days.

Stomach pain or cramps.

A feeling of needing to pass stool even when the bowel is empty.
Fever.

Upset stomach or vomiting.

Symptoms tend to last up to seven days. Sometimes they last longer.

Some people have no symptoms after they've been infected with shigella. But the germs may be able to spread through the stool for up to a few weeks.