Shigella, a Gram-negative bacterium, causes shigellosis, characterised by intestinal symptoms. Shigellosis is one of the leading causes of global diarrhoeal disease deaths, especially in children younger than 5 years. Shigella disproportionately affects low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where transmission occurs mainly through the oral–faecal route due to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. Shigella is divided into four main species: S dysenteriae, S boydii, S flexneri, and S sonnei, of which all have multiple serotypes except S flexneri.
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