Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Shigella bacteria cause an infection known as shigellosis. There are an estimated 450,000 of these infections in the United States each year, and some of these infections involve drug-resistant Shigella.
The four species of Shigella listed by the agency include:
• Shigella sonnei (the most common species in the United States)
• Shigella flexneri
• Shigella boydii
• Shigella dysenteriae
The CDC warns that Shigella spreads easily, and it can spread from one person to another or through contaminated water, food, surfaces, or objects. Shigella germs are found in feces, so anything that gets contaminated by feces can potentially spread the germs. Basic hygiene, handwashing, and surface disinfection are crucial for preventing the spread of the organism.
Most people with shigellosis experience diarrhea that can be bloody or prolonged (lasting more than 3 days), fever, stomach pain, and feeling the need to pass stool (poop) even when the bowels are empty. Fortunately, most people who get the infection get better without antibiotic treatment in 5 to 7 days, according to the CDC.
Children are one of the groups the agency lists as being at greater risk of getting shigellosis. They caution that many outbreaks occur in early care and educational settings and schools.
These are just a few of the many things to know about shigellosis and potential Shigella exposure risks. To learn more about this or other infection control, environmental, health, or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
CTSI ctsiweb.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Shigella bacteria cause an infection known as shigellosis. There are an estimated 450,000 of these infections in the United States each year, and some of these infections involve drug-resistant Shigella.
The four species of Shigella listed by the agency include:
• Shigella sonnei (the most common species in the United States)
• Shigella flexneri
• Shigella boydii
• Shigella dysenteriae
The CDC warns that Shigella spreads easily, and it can spread from one person to another or through contaminated water, food, surfaces, or objects. Shigella germs are found in feces, so anything that gets contaminated by feces can potentially spread the germs. Basic hygiene, handwashing, and surface disinfection are crucial for preventing the spread of the organism.
Most people with shigellosis experience diarrhea that can be bloody or prolonged (lasting more than 3 days), fever, stomach pain, and feeling the need to pass stool (poop) even when the bowels are empty. Fortunately, most people who get the infection get better without antibiotic treatment in 5 to 7 days, according to the CDC.
Children are one of the groups the agency lists as being at greater risk of getting shigellosis. They caution that many outbreaks occur in early care and educational settings and schools.
These are just a few of the many things to know about shigellosis and potential Shigella exposure risks. To learn more about this or other infection control, environmental, health, or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
CTSI ctsiweb.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
