Shigella
Shigellosis, also known as bacillary dysentery, is caused by Shigella
bacteria. It is found in the feces of humans and other primates such as
monkeys and chimpanzees and often found in water that has been contaminated
with human feces.
It is also spread through eating contaminated food and drink. If a person
gets a Shigella bacteria infection, an illness called Shigellosis may
develop. Shigellosis is characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms, including
bloody diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain.
The illness sometimes runs its course in about a week but in many cases
it may take several months before bowel movements return to normal. However,
shigellosis could develop into more severe conditions, including Reiter's
syndrome, reactive arthritis, and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.
Of the known types of Shigella bacteria, Shigella sonnei, also known
as "Group D" Shigella, causes more than two-thirds of the shigellosis
cases in the U.S. Shigella flexneri, or "group B" Shigella,
accounts for most other cases. Shigella dysenteriae has been known to
cause deadly epidemics in the developing world, but it and other types
of Shigella are rare in the U.S.
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