Shigellosis is an illness, caused by infection by bacteria of the genus Shigella. It accounts for less than 10% of the reported outbreaks of foodborne illness in the USA. Shigella rarely occurs in animals; principally a disease of humans except other primates such as monkeys and chimpanzees. The organism is frequently found in water polluted with human feces, and is transmitted via the fecal-oral route.

Symptoms

Abdominal pain; cramps; diarrhea; fever; vomiting; blood, pus, or mucus in stools; tenesmus. Onset time: 12 to 50 hours.

Infections are associated with mucosal ulceration , rectal bleeding , drastic dehydration; fatality may be as high as 10-15% with some strains. Reiter's disease, reactive arthritis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome are possible sequelae that have been reported in the aftermath of shigellosis.

Shigella can be transmitted through food. Food known to do so includes salads (potato, tuna, shrimp, macaroni, and chicken), raw vegetables, milk and dairy products, and poultry. Contamination of these foods is usually through the fecal-oral route. Fecally contaminated water and unsanitary handling by food handlers are the most common causes of contamination.

An estimated 300,000 cases of shigellosis occur annually in the United States. Infants, the elderly, and the infirm are susceptible to the severest symptoms of disease, but all humans are susceptible to some degree. Shigellosis is a very common malady suffered by individuals with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex , as well as non-AIDS homosexual men.

This page, or an earlier version of it, was compiled from chapter 19 of the Bad Bug Book, a publication from the FDA/CFSAN believed to be public domain. If you intend to use this information, you are advised to check that source first, since this page may be based on an outdated version of the material (last update before usage: February 2002, usage: September 2002).