(shĭ‵gĕl-lō'sĭs )

[Shigella + osis, condition]

Infection of the gastrointestinal tract, esp. the distal colon, by Shigella. Common symptoms include fever, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Because Shigella are transmitted from person to person by the fecal-oral route, prevention requires thorough hand washing after toileting by toddlers, young children, and adults. The disease may also be contracted by direct oroanal contact and from food or water contaminated by sewage.