PEKIN - At least 18 people have developed flu-like symptoms from a bacterial infection in Tazewell County, health officials said.

The infections of shigellosis are not limited to one area of the county or one age group, said Andrea Ingwersen, spokeswoman for the Tazewell County Health Department. But children, elderly and others in group-care environments are at a higher risk.

The disease can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, and people are usually free of symptoms within seven days, according to information from Ingwersen. But some people, including young children and the elderly, can require hospitalization for severe symptoms.

Poor hygiene is the most common means of spreading shigellosis, and Ingwersen said people need to make sure they wash their hands properly. This is especially true for caregivers, she said.

There are about 18,000 confirmed cases of shigellosis in the U.S. annually, including about 1,300 in Illinois, according to the health department. There was one reported case of shigellosis in Tazewell County in 2007 and no cases in 2006, according to the department.

Children who become infected should not return to care facilities until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours, according to the health department. People whose children have fever or diarrhea should contact the child's primary care physician, the department said.