shigella

American  

[shi-gel-uh] / ʃɪˈgɛl ə /

noun

Bacteriology.

plural

shigellae, shigellas

1. any of several rod-shaped aerobic bacteria of the genus Shigella, certain species of which are pathogenic for humans and other warm-blooded animals.

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shigella British  

/ ʃɪˈɡɛlə /

noun

1. any rod-shaped Gram-negative bacterium of the genus Shigella ; some species cause dysentery

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Etymology

Origin of shigella

< New Latin (1918), after Kiyoshi Shiga (1870–1957), Japanese scientist; -ella

Example Sentences

Karen's daughter, Liz, said she believed her mother contracted shigella while on holiday, a bacterial infection that can affect the gut.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

Making available relatively clean and safe facilities promotes bladder and bowel health and prevents the spread of infectious diseases such as hepatitis A, shigella and influenza.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2023

There has been an average of 89 cases a year of shigella in King County since 2013, but the number of reported rose to 164 cases in 2017.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2018

The W.H.O.’s third category was “medium priority,” which included drug-resistant versions of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and shigella, all three of which cause common childhood infections.

From New York Times • Feb. 27, 2017

As few as 10 shigella germs can cause an infection—making the bacteria virtually undetectable as it quickly spreads in contaminated food and water or from person to person.

From Scientific American • May 18, 2015