title: A large outbreak of shigellosis commencing in an internally displaced population, Papua New Guinea, 2013.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate a large outbreak of shigellosis in Papua New Guinea that began in a camp for internally displaced persons before spreading throughout the general community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outbreak mitigation strategies were implemented in the affected area to curtail the spread of the disease. Data were collected from the surveillance system and analysed by time, place and person. Rectal swab samples were tested by standard culture methods and real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine the etiology of the outbreak.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laboratory analysis at two independent institutions established that the outbreak was caused by Shigella sp., with one strain further characterized as Shigella flexneri serotype 2. Approximately 1200 suspected cases of shigellosis were reported in a two-month period from two townships in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The outbreak resulted in at least five deaths, all in young children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This outbreak of shigellosis highlights the threat of enteric diseases to vulnerable populations such as internally displaced persons in Papua New Guinea, as has been observed in other global settings.
authors: Morobe Provincial Hospital, Lae, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Edwin
authors: E
authors: Benny
authors: Morobe Provincial Hospital, Lae, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Mesere
authors: World Health Organization, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Boris I
authors: BI
authors: Pavlin
authors: Bulolo District Health Services, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Logan
authors: L
authors: Yakam
authors: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Ford
authors: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Mition
authors: M
authors: Yoannes
authors: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Debbie
authors: D
authors: Kisa
authors: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Mohammad Y
authors: MY
authors: Abdad
authors: Angua Hospital, Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Lincoln
authors: L
authors: Menda
authors: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea . ; School of Applied and Biomedical Services, Federation University, Churchill, Victoria, Australia .
authors: Andrew R
authors: AR
authors: Greenhill
authors: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea .
authors: Paul F
authors: PF
authors: Horwood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012036:Refugees; D012760:Shigella; D012763:Shigella flexneri; D055815:Young Adult
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