Explained | Shigella bacteria, causes, prevention
Mail This Article
A new shigella death has been reported from Kozhikode in Kerala. This comes two months after a deadly nipah sweep claimed 17 lives in the north Kerala districts of Kozhikode and Malappuram. Here is all about shigella:
What is shigella
Shigella infection (shigellosis) is an intestinal disease caused by a family of bacteria known as shigella.
How does the infection spread
It spreads through direct contact with bacteria in the stool.
Eg: Shigella can spread in child care settings if staff members do not wash hands properly after helping children in the washroom or after changing diapers.
Who gets infected
Children in the 2-4 age group gets infected most.
A mild infection clears off in a week or so, says the website of the Mayo Clinic
Symptoms
Shigella symptoms start in a day.
It may take a week to develop
Prominent signs include diarrhoea (often containing blood or mucus),