The four species of Shigella are: Shigella sonnei (the most common species in the United States); Shigella flexneri; Shigella boydii; Shigella dysenteriae. S.SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkShigella–ShigellosisSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateQuestions&AnswersEspañolMinusRelatedPagesShigella(shih-GEHL-uh)bacteriacauseaninfectioncalledshigellosis.Shigellacauseanestimated450,000infectionsintheUnitedStateseachyear.ThefourspeciesofShigellaare:Shigellasonnei(themostcommonspeciesintheUnitedStates)ShigellaflexneriShigellaboydiiShigelladysenteriaeS.dysenteriaeandS.boydiiarerareintheUnitedStates,thoughtheycontinuetobeimportantcausesofdiseaseinlow-resourceareas.Shigelladysenteriaetype1canbedeadly.HowdoShigellabacteriaspread?Shigellaspreadeasily;ittakesjustasmallnumberofbacteriatomakesomeoneill.PeoplewithaShigellainfectioncanspreadtheinfectiontoothersforseveralweeksaftertheirdiarrheaends.YoucangetinfectedbyswallowingShigella.SomewaysShigellacangetintoyourmouthare:GettingShigellaonyourhandsandtouchingyourmouth.Shigellacangetonyourhandsby:Touchingsurfaces,suchastoys,bathroomfixtures,changingtables,anddiaperpailscontaminatedwithShigellabacteriafromsomeonewithaninfection.ChangingthediaperofachildwithaShigellainfection.Takingcareofapersonwithaninfection,includingcleaningupafterthepersonusesthetoilet.EatingfoodpreparedbysomeonewithaShigellainfection.Swallowingrecreationalwater,suchaslakewaterorimproperlytreatedswimmingpoolwater.Swallowingcontaminateddrinkingwater,suchaswaterfromawellthat’sbeencontaminatedwithsewageorfloodwater.Exposuretostool(poop)duringsexualcontactwithsomeonewithaShigellainfectionorwhohasrecentlyrecoveredfromaShigellainfection.WhatarethesymptomsofShigellainfectionandhowlongdotheylast?MostpeoplewithShigellainfectionexperience:DiarrheathatcanbebloodyFeverStomachpainFeelingtheneedtopassstool(poop)evenwhenthebowelsareemptySymptomsusuallystart1–2daysafterinfectionandlast7days.Insomecases,bowelhabits(frequenc