Study on Shigella Diarrhoea in Asia
Author Information
Author(s): Philippe J. Sansonetti
Primary Institution: Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
Hypothesis
Is the burden of shigellosis declining or is it being underestimated?
Conclusion
The incidence of shigellosis remains unchanged, but the disease appears to be becoming less deadly.
Supporting Evidence
- Diarrhoea remains a leading public health concern with 2.5 million annual deaths.
- Shigella infection accounted for five percent of diarrhoeal episodes.
- Real-time PCR detected Shigella in 33 percent of culture-negative stool specimens.
- Mortality associated with shigellosis was lower than in previous studies.
- High diversity of Shigella serotypes was found across different regions.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many people get sick from shigellosis in Asia and found that while many people still get it, it seems to be less dangerous than before.
Methodology
A prospective, population-based, multi-centre study using passive surveillance for case detection.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of cases due to reliance on health care-seeking behavior.
Limitations
The study relied on passive surveillance, which may miss many cases, especially those without severe symptoms.
Participant Demographics
Participants included over 600,000 people of all ages from six Asian countries.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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