Shigella species is a topic covered in the Johns Hopkins ABX Guide.

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MICROBIOLOGY

  • Aerobic Gram-negative rod (non-motile, non-spore forming), family Enterobacteriaceae.
  • Four groups: subdivided into serotypes and subserotypes based upon lipopolysaccharide O antigenic repeats.
    • Group A (S. dysenteriae see separate module for discussion of Group A infections, often cause of pandemics arising from natural and man-made disasters)
    • Group B (S. flexneri, leading cause in low- and middle-income countries)
    • Group C (S. boydii, relatively uncommon cause)
    • Group D (S. sonnei, leading diarrhea cause in high income countries)
    • >46 serotypes mean that there is often little protective immunity offered when exposed to new infections.
  • In clinical microbiology laboratories, MacConkey or EMB agar in addition to Shigella-Salmonella agar yields best growth.

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Last updated: February 8, 2018