Shigellosis in a Newborn---An Uncommon Case

A new born baby was admitted to the Glocal hospital, Krishnanagore, and presented with loose stools mixed with blood and mucous and abdominal distension for last five days. The baby was crying all through the day; presumably, he had severe tenesmus (a feeling of incomplete sense of defecation with rectal pain). He was diagnosed, clinically, to be suffering from shigellosis, which was confirmed by isolation of Shigella spp; by stool culture. The baby recovered with antibiotic treatment. It is an uncommon case of shigellosis in new born babies. Hand washing practices are recommended to prevent transmission of shigellosis and other diseases as well. Shigellae vaccines are attractive disease prevention strategy. Shigellosis caused by S. flexneri type 2 and S. dysenteria type 1 are the two most common and important serotype candidates against which vaccine development are currently being directed.