Alternative Names & Classifications:
Shigellosis (CLINICAL)
Description
This highly contagious bacterium is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, requiring an incredibly small microscopic dose to establish a severe infection. It frequently causes explosive outbreaks in daycares and environments with poor handwashing practices, severely affecting young children. The bacteria violently invade and destroy the cellular lining of the large intestine, causing massive tissue shedding.