Facts about shigellosis

• The illness: Shigellosis is an infectious disease that causes diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps. The diarrhea can be bloody. The illness is not considered life-threatening, but the diarrhea can cause dehydration that can require hospitalization, especially for children under 2 and the elderly.
• Who gets it: The illness is most common among children ages 4 and younger and their caregivers, and outbreaks are often traced to day care centers. That's because most infections are the result of bacteria passing from stools or soiled fingers from one person to another. It is particularly likely to occur among toddlers who are not fully toilet-trained.
• Prevention: Good hygiene habits, including thorough hand-washing with soap.
• Treatment: Antibiotics.

SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention