An outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection due to contamination of a municipal water supply in northern Israel.

An epidemic of more than 8000 cases of Shigella sonnei infection took place in four adjacent urban communities which share the same water supply. The epidemic was caused by massive faecal contamination of the drinking water due to a leak from a broken main sewage pipe into an adjacent drilled well. The infecting organism in most cases was S. sonnei colicine type 6, biotype A, which showed a high rate of multiple resistance to commonly used antibacterial drugs. Most of those affected were children less than 15 years of age. Among adults the attack rates were higher in women. Most cases were mild, only 91 patients being admitted to hospital. One 5-year-old child died.