What is shigellosis? Shigellosis is a bacterial infection affecting the intestinal tract. It is a fairly common disease; 600-800 cases occur in New York State each year ...skiptomaincontentNavigationmenuDepartmentofHealthIndividuals/FamiliesBirth,Death,Marriage&DivorceRecordsHealthInsuranceProgramsConsumerHealthCareInformationCommunityHealthHealthyLifestylesHealth&SafetyintheHome,Workplace&OutdoorsDiseases&ConditionsData&ReportsHealthTopicsAtoZProviders/ProfessionalsNovelCoronavirusNarcoticEnforcementEMSHealthInitiativesData&ReportsDiseases&ConditionsPatientResourcesDiseaseReportingClinicalGuidelines,Standards&QualityofCarePermits,Licenses&CertificationAllHealthCareProfessionals&PatientSafetyHealthTopicsAtoZHealthFacilitiesAdultCareFacilities/AssistedLivingHomeCare&HospiceHospitals&ClinicsNursingHomesSchoolBasedHealthCentersAllHealthCareFacilitiesHealthTopicsAtoZSearchSearch:YouareHere:HomePage>CommunicableDisease>ShigellosisShigellosisLastReviewed:October2011Whatisshigellosis?Shigellosisisabacterialinfectionaffectingtheintestinaltract.Itisafairlycommondisease;600-800casesoccurinNewYorkStateeachyear.Mostcasesareseeninthesummerandearlyfallandoccurassinglecasesoroutbreaks.Whogetsshigellosis?Anyonecangetshigellosisbutitisrecognizedmoreofteninyoungchildren.Thosewhomaybeatgreaterriskincludechildrenindaycarecenters,foreigntravelerstocertaincountries,institutionalizedpeopleandpeopleexposedtohumanfecesthroughsexualcontact.HowisShigellaspread?Shigellaisfoundintheintestinaltractofinfectedpeople,andisspreadbyeatingordrinkingfoodorwatercontaminatedwiththebacteria.Itcanalsobespreadbydirectcontactwithfeces(evenwithmicroscopicamounts)fromaninfectedperson.Whatarethesymptoms?PeopleexposedtoShigellamayexperiencemildorseverediarrhea,oftenwithfeverandtracesofbloodormucousinthestool.Someinfectedpeoplemaynotshowanysymptoms.Howsoondosymptomsappear?Thesymptomsmayappearonetosevendaysafterexposure,butusuallywithintwotothreedays.Whenandforhowlongisapersonabletospreadshigellosis?Mostpeoplepass