Is Shigella a virus or bacteria?

Shigella bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis. Most people with Shigella infection have diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually begin 1–2 days after infection and last 7 days. Most people recover without needing antibiotics.

What is the difference between Shigella and shigellosis?

Shigella is a genus of gamma proteobacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae. Shigellae are Gram-negative, nonmotile, non-spore forming, rod-shaped bacteria, very closely related to Escherichia coli. Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by various species of Shigella.

How is Shigella transmitted?

Shigella can pass from stool or soiled fingers of one person to the mouth of another person, including during sexual activity. Many Shigella outbreaks among this population have been reported in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe since 1999.

How do you identify Shigella?

To confirm the diagnosis of shigellosis, doctors take a sample of stool and send it to a laboratory to grow (culture) and identify the bacteria. Bacteria are also tested to see which antibiotics are effective (a process called susceptibility testing ).

What kind of infections do Shigella bacteria cause?

Shigella (shih-GEHL-uh) bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis. Shigella cause an estimated 450,000 infections in the United States each year. The four species of Shigella are: Shigella sonnei (the most common species in the United States)

What happens to your body when you get Shigella?

Recommend on Facebook Tweet ShareCompartir. Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella (shih-GEHL-uh). Most who are infected with Shigella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps starting a day or two after they are exposed to the bacteria.

How long does it take for diarrhea from Shigella?

Shigella – Shigellosis. Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella (shih-GEHL-uh). Most who are infected with Shigella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps starting a day or two after they are exposed to the bacteria. Shigellosis usually resolves in 5 to 7 days.

Are there any antibiotics that are effective for Shigella?

Some antibiotics may not be effective for treating some Shigella infections because of antibiotic resistance . Healthcare providers can order laboratory tests to determine which antibiotics are likely to work. If Shigella bacteria are resistant, first-choice antibiotics recommended to treat these infections may not work.