Shigellosis Bacillary Dysentery - Waterborne bacillary dysentery is common in developing countries.
The diseasse is characterized by inflammation of the walls of large intestine.
Other symptoms include diarrhoea and blood mucus and pus in stools.
Fever occurs in rare cases when endotoxin is absorbed from the intestine.
The causative agents belong to the genus Shigella and include S. dysenteriae, S. flexneri, S. boydi and S. sonnei. The causative agent is excreted in faeces and urine.
Drinking water contaminated with human faeces is the major source.
The organism rarely survives in water, not more than ten days.
