Anyone can be affected by Shigella. After the bacteria are taken in by mouth, it usually takes between one and three days before you become ill. To trace the cause of the illness, it is necessary to know what you ate and drank and where you were in the three days before you became ill.
Illness usually lasts from four to seven days.
Rarely, infection with some types of Shigella bacteria can be life threatening. Shigella bacteria are only found in humans. People with shigellosis have Shigella bacteria in their faeces. If these people do not wash their hands properly after going to the toilet, then contaminated hands can spread the bacteria to surfaces and objects which will be touched by other people. Contaminated hands can also spread the bacteria to food which may be eaten by other people.