Outbreak of **Shigella sonnei** infections in the Orthodox Jewish community of Antwerp, Belgium, April to August 2008

Abstract: In the beginning of April 2008 three cases of Shigella sonnei infection were identified among the Orthodox Jewish community of Antwerp, Belgium. We conducted a descriptive study and a household cohort study to identify potential risk factors. Stool samples were cultured and antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was determined. Between April and August 2008, 42 cases were registered. All characterised isolates (n=20) shared an identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile and were indistinguishable from one of the twelve main strains detected in Israel in 2008, where the inde... Mehr ...