C.T. scan showed severe brain oedema. If you know of anybody who have encountered the same disease or have made some further studies about Shigella Flexneri it would be of much help if you could pass along my letter. The bacteria is ingested through the contaminated water or food. They grow rapidly in the intestines and attack mainly the large intestines leading to severe inflammation, ulceration of the large intestines that further leading to high fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and electrolytes imbalance. Whether the stiff neck and seizure are caused by high fever, electrolyte imbalance or some unknown central nervous toxin produced by the bacteria is not clear.
Death can occur in very young, debilitated, malnourished or immune compromised children and adults.
Shigellae infection itself does not cause hyponatremia, but the fluid and salt loss due to vomiting and diarrhea with not enough salt supplement could cause hyponatremia and subsequent brain edema, encephalopathy that requiring ventilation support. Please accept our sympathy for your nephew's grave illness. This information is for educational purpose only. Always consult your doctor for your medical problems. Shigella 0.3 Information contained within this forum is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question.