Update on molecular epidemiology of Shigella infection.
OBJECTIVE
Shigella spp. are important etiologic agents of diarrhea worldwide. This review summarizes the recent findings on the epidemiology, diagnosis, virulence genes, and pathobiology of Shigella infection.


RESULTS
Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei have been identified as the main serogroups circulating in developing and developed countries, respectively. However, a shift in the dominant species from S. flexneri to S. sonnei has been observed in countries that have experienced recent improvements in socioeconomic conditions. Despite the increasing usage of molecular methods in the diagnosis and virulence characterization of Shigella strains, researchers have been unsuccessful in finding a specific target gene for this bacillus. New research has demonstrated the role of proteins whose expressions are temperature-regulated, as well as genes involved in the processes of adhesion, invasion, dissemination, and inflammation, aiding in the clarification of the complex pathobiology of shigellosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge about the epidemiologic profile of circulating serogroups of Shigella and an understanding of its pathobiology as well as of the virulence genes is important for the development of preventive measures and interventions to reduce the worldwide spread of shigellosis.
Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid and Clinical Research Unit (IBISAB/UPC), Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
Ila F N
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Lima
Alexandre
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Havt
Aldo A M
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Lima
D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D012760:Shigella / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics