ShigellaInfectionCenterBacterialInfections101PicturesSlideshowTaketheTummyTroubleQuizHepatitisCSlideshowPicturesPatientComments:Shigella-ExperiencePatientComments:Shigella-TreatmentShigellosisfacts*Whatisshigellosis?WhatarethesymptomsofShigella?Howlongafterinfectiondosymptomsappear?Howlongwillsymptomslast?CantherebeanycomplicationsfromShigellainfections?HowcanShigellainfectionsbediagnosed?HowcanShigellainfectionsbetreated?IsantibioticresistanceaproblemwithShigella?HowwillIknowifIhaveanantibiotic-resistantShigellainfection?WhatshouldIdoifIhaveanantibiotic-resistantShigellainfection?Howcanwereducethespreadofantibiotic-resistantShigella?HowisShigellaspread?HowcanIreducemyriskofgettingshigellosis?Iwasdiagnosedwithshigellosis.WhatcanIdotoavoidgivingittootherpeople?Mychildwasdiagnosedwithshigellosis.HowcanIkeepothersfromcatchingit?Shouldaninfectedpersonbeexcludedfromschoolorwork?Whatelsecanbedonetopreventshigellosis?WhatcanbedoneifanoutbreakofShigellaoccursinthechildcaresetting?PeopleatRiskIncidenceShigellosisfacts**ShigellosisfactsbyJohnP.Cunha,DO,FACOEPShigellosisisaninfectiousdiseasecausedbyagroupofbacteriacalledShigella.TherearefourspeciesofShigella:Shigellasonnei(themostcommonspeciesintheU.S.)ShigellaflexneriShigellaboydiiShigelladysenteriaeThetransmissionofmostShigellainfectionsiscausedbythebacteriumpassingfromstoolsorsoiledfingersofonepersontothemouthofanotherperson.Thishappenswhenbasichygieneandhand-washinghabitsareinadequateandcanhappenduringcertaintypesofsexualactivity.Itmayalsobeacquiredfromeatingcontaminatedfood.Shigellaishighlycontagiousandbeingexposedtoevenaminisculeamountofcontaminatedfecalmattercancauseinfection.RiskfactorsforgettingShigellainfectionincludelivingortravelinginareaswheresanitationislackingsuchasdevelopingcountries,beingatoddlerorchangingtoddlerdiapers,livingorspendingtimeinlargeinstitutionalfacilities(nursinghomes,communitypools,militarybarracks,jails),andbeingasexuallyactivegayman.OutbreaksofShigellacanoccurinchild-carefacilitiesandschoolso