Suspected Ebola Cases in Italy Reported by Various Media Turns Out to be Shigella Infections
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team May 26, 2026 1 hour ago
Medical News: Fears of a possible Ebola outbreak in Italy triggered alarm across Lombardy after two humanitarian aid workers returning from Uganda developed symptoms consistent with the deadly viral disease.
Numerous media in the last 11 hours had been reporting about possible Ebola infections in Italy.
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/25/ebola-alert-in-italy-two-suspected-cases-in-lombardy-after-return-from-uganda
https://www.trtworld.com/article/f19bddc0cdcf
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/health/italy-reports-2-suspected-ebola-cases-in-milan-after-their-return-from-uganda/3948389
https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/39215515/ebola-alert-italy-dr-congo-epidemic-serious/
Italian Ebola scare ends after tests confirm both aid workers were suffering from Shigella bacterial infections
instead of the deadly virus
However, health authorities later confirmed that both patients tested negative for Ebola and were instead infected with Shigella, a common but highly contagious bacterial pathogen that causes severe gastrointestinal illness.
https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_maggio_25/milano-due-sospetti-casi-di-ebola-protocollo-sanitario-speciale-attivato-al-sacco-per-due-persone-di-ritorno-dall-uganda-03187139-c091-4b97-8a7e-f2cf6e79fxlk.shtml?refresh_ce
The incident unfolded on May 25 when a 31-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman from the Como area arrived back in Italy via Milan Malpensa Airport after spending nearly three months in Uganda with Combonian missionaries. Within hours of returning home to the municipalities of Bulgarograsso and Lurate Caccivio, the pair developed symptoms that immediately raised concern among local health officials.
Emergency Ebola Protocols Activated
According to regional authorities, the woman developed high fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and neurological symptoms, while the man experienced milder fever and intestinal distress. Because the pair had recently traveled from a region near the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, areas currently under heightened Ebola surveillance, emergency infectious disease procedures were activated immediately.
Both patients were transported separately in high-security ambulances to Milan’s Sacco Hospital, one of Italy’s leading centers for infectious diseases. Isolation rooms were prepared while special
ists conducted extensive diagnostic testing for Ebola, malaria, and other tropical infections.
Initial fears intensified because Ebola symptoms often begin with fever, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and neurological complications. Italian media rapidly circulated reports of “suspected Ebola cases,” fueling public concern throughout the country.
Tests Reveal Shigella Infection Instead
By the evening of May 25, laboratory results confirmed that neither patient had Ebola virus disease. Instead, both tested positive for Shigella bacteria, a common gastrointestinal pathogen that spreads through contaminated food, water, or poor sanitation conditions.
Regional Welfare Councilor Guido Bertolaso explained that additional microbiological and culture analyses are continuing while infectious disease experts closely monitor both patients. Malaria was also ruled out despite earlier concerns linked to the woman’s daughter, who reportedly contracted malaria during the family’s stay in Uganda.
The woman remains under careful observation due to the severity of her symptoms, and doctors have considered intensive care monitoring because of her neurological manifestations.
Public Health Officials Stress Low Risk
Italian health authorities emphasized repeatedly that the risk to the public remains extremely low. The Ministry of Health confirmed that all national infectious disease preparedness systems functioned according to protocol and that rapid containment measures were immediately implemented.
Family members and close contacts of the two aid workers were temporarily placed under self-isolation while awaiting test results. Officials also obtained detailed flight information from the travelers’ arrival into Italy in case wider tracing became necessary.
This
Medical News report highlights how symptoms caused by tropical bacterial infections can closely resemble those of highly dangerous viral hemorrhagic diseases, particularly during ongoing outbreaks in Africa.
WHO Continues Monitoring African Ebola Outbreaks
The scare comes amid ongoing international concern surrounding Ebola activity in parts of Central and East Africa. The World Health Organization and Africa CDC continue monitoring outbreaks affecting regions near Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Health officials remain particularly concerned about infections among healthcare workers and transmission in urban settings.
Italian authorities stressed that while Ebola remains a serious global health threat, Italy’s climate, healthcare infrastructure, surveillance systems, and rapid response protocols significantly reduce the likelihood of widespread transmission. Officials also criticized premature media reports that amplified public fear before laboratory confirmation was completed. The incident nevertheless demonstrated how rapidly modern infectious disease alert systems can mobilize when potentially catastrophic pathogens are suspected. Experts say the swift isolation procedures, coordinated hospital response, and immediate testing protocols helped ensure that any possible threat was contained within hours while simultaneously reassuring the public once Ebola was ruled out.
For the latest Ebola news, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
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