Outbreak of Acute Gastroenteritis at a Music Festival in Ariège on the Weekend of July 20–21 – Update as of August 9, 2013

The link between the shigellosis outbreak that affected the Terre de Couleur festival in Ariège during the week of July 19–20 and the outbreak at the Nowhere festival in Spain has been confirmed by comparison of Shigella Sonnei strains. Although the spread of this outbreak appears to be increasingly limited, secondary clusters of cases have been reported to the Midi-Pyrénées Regional Health Agency (ARS) since the end of the festival. An investigation into a cluster of 17 cases (out of 20 people) that occurred between July 22 and August 6, involving individuals living in a communal setting in the Ariège department who presented with gastroenteritis symptoms suggestive of Shigella infection, identified a link to the festival outbreak.In this context, it is important to note that Shigella is a bacterium found exclusively in humans and is highly contagious, transmitted via the fecal-oral route following direct or indirect contact with an infected person. Poor hygiene conditions or the preparation of meals by sick individuals facilitate the transmission of Shigella.

Reminder of simple hygiene measures to limit contamination - Avoid having sick people prepare meals or handle food - Wash hands before and after preparing meals, after using the restroom, and after any contact with sick people