Shigella infection

In news: Food poisoning reported in Kasaragod district of Kerala

What is shigella infection?

• It is a contagious intestinal infection caused by a genus of bacteria known as shigella.
• The bacteria is one of the prime pathogens responsible for causing diarrhea, fluctuating between moderate and severe symptoms, especially in children in African and South Asian regions.
• As per reports, an estimated annual mortality of 35,000–40,000 is noted globally in both under-five and older-than-five age groups.

Symptoms: most people with Shigella infection have diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, and stomach cramps

How it spreads?

• Shigella is generally transmitted through contaminated food or water, or through person-to-person contact.
• Shigellosis is primarily a disease of poor and crowded communities that do not have adequate sanitation or safe water.
• The bacteria, after entering the body through ingestion, attack the epithelial lining of the colon resulting in inflammation of the cells and subsequently the destruction of the cells in severe cases.
• Handwashing is said to reduce shigella transmission by 70%.

Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q.1) Consider the following diseases (2014)

1. Diphtheria
2. Chickenpox
3. Smallpox

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None of the above

Source: The Hindu