Shigellosis

Shigellosis are a bacillus-shaped, Gram-negative proteobacteria that causes bacillary dysentery, which is characterized by more water loss and a bloody stool.

Etiology
Shigella sonnei (common in Northern US)

Shigella flexneri (common in Southern US)

Shigella dysenteriae (aka Asiatic dysentery, common in asian countries) produces shiga toxin which causes hemorrhagic bleeding (exotoxin, and enterotoxin)

All shigella can produce endotoxins (because it is G-) and an exotoxin (enterotoxin), but Shigella dysenteriae exotoxin known as shiga toxin, which is the most powerful toxin that can cause bleeding.

Transmission
Infectious (fecal/oral route) versions of shigella have on average an ID 50 of 200 bacilli. They can easily spread through rare hamburgers, as the bacteria will be spread throught the ground meat when mixing.

Symptoms
Infects the large intestines and causes irritation and diarrhea with mucous or blood in stool. "The squirts" occur because of how fluid the poop is.

Treatment
Self-limiting for the most part, but the young and old need hospitalization. They are treated with Ciprofloxacin with fluids and electrolytes (to counter the fluid loss)

About 1/3 of people with Shigella diarrhrea are hospitalized.