Shigella Group Antigen Products

Shigella is a genus of Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore forming rod-shaped bacteria closely related to Escherichia coli and Salmonella. The causative agent of human shigellosis, Shigella also cause disease in other primates, but not in other mammals. Shigella species are classified by four serogroups: Serogroup A: S. dysenteriae (12 serotypes) Serogroup B: S. flexneri (6 serotypes) Serogroup C: S. boydii (23 serotypes) Serogroup D: S. sonnei (1 serotype) Shigella infection causes dysentery that results in the destruction of the epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa in the cecum and rectum. Some strains produce enterotoxin and Shiga toxin, similar to the verotoxin of E. coli O157:H7.