[When to carry out contact investigations in shigellosis: no need for extensive contact investigations in solitary cases].

In the revised Dutch guidelines, faeces testing for Shigella is advised for all household contacts if the index person is less than 6 years old and for persons with symptoms. We argue that in most cases there is no need for faeces testing. Clusters of shigelloses have become rare, and hygienic measures are sufficient to prevent transmission. The statistical significance of shigella transmission in children under 6 years old, on which the revised guideline is based, has no clinical relevance. In fact, the infection rate is only 7% even among the high-risk contacts of the index patients under 6 years old and only 1 infection per 4 index persons (25/104). Hygienic measures and exclusion from childcare centres or school in the event of symptoms are sufficient measures to prevent transmission.