Flexner's Dysenteric Bacteria

Flexner dysentery bacterium is a gram-positive bacillus that causes dysentery, an acute infectious disease characterized by symptoms of intoxication and damage to the large intestine.

This bacterium was first discovered by the American microbiologist Flexner in 1873 in India. He named it Shigella flexneri in honor of his colleague and friend who studied this bacterium. Flexner later discovered in 1909 that this bacterium causes dysentery.

Flexner dysentery bacterium has several serotypes, which differ in their properties and pathogenicity. The most pathogenic are serotypes 1, 2 and 3. These serotypes cause severe forms of dysentery with high fever, severe intoxication and damage to the intestinal mucosa.

To diagnose dysentery, a bacteriological method is used, in which the patient’s stool is examined for the presence of the pathogen. Serological methods can also be used for diagnosis, which determine the presence of antibodies to the pathogen in the patient’s blood.

Dysentery is treated with antibiotics such as ampicillin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. The patient is also prescribed rehydration therapy to restore water-salt balance.

Prevention of dysentery consists of observing personal hygiene rules, washing hands before eating and after using the toilet, and drinking only boiled water.

Flexner Dysenteric microorganisms include many types of bacteria. They cause various diseases such as shigellosis. Shigellosis (Dysentery) is an infectious disease caused by the sherebroid bacterium Shigella flexneri. The most common course of Flexer's disease is shigellosis dysentery or shigellosis, the incidence of which increases during the migration period in children of cities and rural peoples of the temperate zone in the autumn-winter time. The disease leads to damage to the mucous membrane of the large intestine. The infection is characterized by a long course with alternating periods of remission and relapses. Untreated shigellosis often ends in death due to severe complications.

The most common form of shigellosis is dysentery (shigellosis hepatitis). Dysentery can be complicated by the development of purulent colitis, paralytic obstruction and toxic megacolitis, which often leads to death. Most often, dysentery affects the rectum and the distal sigmoid colon. Less commonly, shigolls settle on the mucous membrane of the colon. Much less often, the infectious agent spreads to the small intestine. Older children are most susceptible to developing dysentery. Bacteria of the Shigella type are a mild and fatal infection for the species (humans, many wild animals, cattle, sheep, etc.), once they enter the body they are quickly excreted in excrement, on average per day. People's susceptibility to shigella is high. Children are less affected by dysentery, adults get sick less often, and men are 2 times more likely than women.