Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of shigella infection usually begin a day or two after contact with shigella. Signs and symptoms may include:
- Diarrhea (often containing blood or mucus)
- Abdominal cramps
- Fever
Although some people have no symptoms after they've been infected with shigella, their feces are still contagious.
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor or seek urgent care if you or your child has bloody diarrhea or diarrhea severe enough to cause weight loss and dehydration. Also, contact your doctor if you or your child has diarrhea and a fever of 101 F (38 C) or higher.
References
- Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed May 4, 2012.
- Bowen A, et al. The Yellow Book 2012: CDC health information for international travel. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2012/chapter-3-infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/shigellosis.htm. Accessed May 3, 2012.
- Long SS, et al. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Revised Reprint. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/linkTo?type=bookPage&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7020-3468-8..50153-X--cesec14&isbn=978-0-7020-3468-8&uniqId=332491740-5. Accessed May 4, 2012.
- Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2012: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05611-3..C2009-0-38601-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05611-3&uniqId=291436269-101. Accessed May 3, 2012.
- Shigellosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/shigellosis/. Accessed May 5, 2012.
- Kosek M, et al. Shigellosis update: Advancing antibiotic resistance, investment empowered vaccine development and green bananas. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 2010;23:475.
- Initiative for vaccine research. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/vaccine_research/diseases/diarrhoeal/en/index6.html#. Accessed May 3, 2012.
Find Mayo Clinic on