Oregon dysentery: At least 40 fall ill from extremely contagious bacterial illness - what is it, how is it spread and how to avoid getting it

There were 158 cases of the illness in Multnomah County in 2024, Oregon Live reported. It adds that those cases were among people who hadn’t left the country which means it was contracted in the states.

Although there were 40 confirmed cases, officials told the outlet they suspect the actual number of cases is much higher among the city’s homeless population. Cases of dysentery in Multnomah County have been steadily rising since 2012, KOIN reports, sharing that 2023 is when the illness exploded in the area. Cases more than doubled that year, going from 43 in 2022 to 96 in 2023.

Dysentery is a serious illness that's extremely contagious. Symptoms of dysentery —or shigellosis — include frequent, possibly bloody diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says, adding that it “spreads easily.”

Much like norovirus, “Shigella germs are in poop, so anything that gets contaminated by poop can potentially spread the germs,” the CDC says. In the Portland area, health officials said 56% of cases were among people experiencing homelessness and 55% of cases reported methamphetamine and/or opiate usage.

The spread is more prominent amongst drug users and men who have sexual contact with other men, as anal contact is more likely to spread the disease via infected faecal particles. The rising rate of people with unstable housing situations in the metro area – and therefore less access to plumbing and other hygiene needs – has likely been a major contributor to the spread.

Practicing good hygiene is the best way to prevent contracting or spreading dysentery. Thoroughly washing your hands with soap and running water after using the bathroom and before and after handling or eating food is the surest way to stay safe.

Other ways to prevent dysentery, according to the Cleveland Clinic:

• Don’t share personal items with other people, including toothbrushes, drinking glasses and towels.
• Don’t use water unless you’re sure it’s sanitized or sterile (free of germs). This includes water for drinking, cooking and brushing your teeth.
• Stay away from people who have dysentery.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables with clean running water. Peel them before eating them.
• Thoroughly cook all food.
• If you’re traveling to an area where dysentery is common, it’s also a good idea to avoid ice cubes, fountain drinks, water or soft drinks that aren’t in a sealed container and unpasteurized dairy and juice products.