Common symptoms of shigellosis

Shigellosis is often found in child care centers, nursing homes, refugee camps and other places where conditions are crowded and sanitation is poor.

Studies conducted on adult volunteers have established that the first symptom of shigellosis usually occurs within 12 to 48 hours of exposure but symptoms can be delayed for up to 1 week.

In mild infection, the only complaints may be development of watery or loose stools for a few days with minimal or no constitutional symptoms. But in severe cases symptoms can linger for 2-3 weeks.

The most common symptoms of shigellosis are watery diarrhea, sudden fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence, tenesmus, lassitude, and prostration, 1-5 days after ingestion of contaminated food and drinks.

Generally, children are more susceptible to shigellosis than adults and it is fatal in children especially when children suffer from malnourishment. Children with malnourished conditions show dehydration, magacolon, rectal prolapse, and intestinal perforation and infection is life-threatening.
Common symptoms of shigellosis