How Do You Test for Shigella

To confirm the diagnosis of shigellosis, doctors take a sample of stool and send it to a laboratory to grow (culture) and identify the bacteria. Bacteria are also tested to see which antibiotics are effective (a process called susceptibility testing.

How do I know if I have Shigella?

Symptoms of shigellosis include abdominal pain, tenesmus, watery diarrhea, and/or dysentery (multiple scanty, bloody, mucoid stools). Other signs may include abdominal tenderness, fever, vomiting, dehydration, and convulsions.

How long does Shigella stay in your system?

Symptoms typically last 4-7 days. People with mild illness usually get better without specific treatment. With more severe shigella infection, patients can get diarrhea so severe they become dehydrated. Occasionally, shigellosis causes seizures, bloodstream infection, or arthritis, and can rarely result in death.