Shigella

Shigella is a genus of Gram-negative, nonspore forming, non-motile, rodshaped bacteria closely related to Escherichia

coli and Salmonella. The causative agent of human shigellosis, Shigella causes disease in primates, but not in other mammals. It is only naturally found in humans and apes.

 The genus is named after Kiyoshi Shiga, who first discovered it

in 1898.

 Phylogenetic studies indicate that Shigella is more appropriately treated as subgenus of Escherichia, and that certain strains

generally considered E. coli

Classifications
Serogroup A: S. dysenteriae
Serogroup B: S. flexneri Serogroup C: S. boydii Serogroup D: S. sonnei

Pathogenesis
Shigella infection is typically via ingestion (fecaloral

contamination); depending on age and condition of the host, as few as 100 bacterial cells can be enough to cause an infection. Shigella causes dysentery that results in the destruction of the epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa in the cecum and rectum. Some strains produce enterotoxin and shiga toxin, similar to the verotoxin of E. col O157:H7 and other verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli. Both shiga toxin and verotoxin are associated with causing hemolytic uremic syndrome. As noted above, these supposed E. coli strains are at least in part actually more closely related to Shigella than to the "typical" E. coli.6