How is the shigella bacterium spread?
Shigella is found in the intestine of infected people and passed in their stool. It is spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by an infected person’s stool or by direct contact with that person’s contaminated hands. Shigella is present in the stool of an infected person while they have symptoms and for a week or two afterwards. How soon after becoming infected do symptoms appear? The symptoms may appear one to seven days after a person becomes infected but it is usually within two to three days. Shigella usually resolves in five to seven days. When can an infected person spread shigellosis? Most infected people pass shigella in their stool for one to two weeks after symptoms start. Antibiotics may shorten the time that a person can spread the bacterium to others. How is shigellosis treated? Most people with shigellosis will recover on their own. Some may require intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration. Antibiotics are occasionally used to treat severe cases or to eli
