Pathology of shigellosis and its complications

One hundred and thirty‐three colonic biopsies of proven cases of Shigella colitis were examined and post‐mortem examinations were carried out on 29 fatal cases at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) hospital between 1988 and 1992. The distribution of pathological lesions and the spectrum of histopathological changes in the intestinal tract of these patients, and the features of intestinal and extra‐intestinal complications of shigellosis are presented. Septicaemia, hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia and hypoglycaemia were present in a high percentage of these cases. All but two patients were malnourished at the time of autopsy. Shigellosis patients rapidly became hypoproteinaemic and were susceptible to other infections including opportunistic infections. Mortality amongst shigellosis patients admitted to our hospital continues to be high in spite of adequate antibiotic and supportive therapy.