Unspecific Colitis due to Shigellosis (5 of 7)

“Colitis due to Shigellosis”. Several tiny ulcers (aphtas). In chronic bacillary dysentery, there is usually extensive scarring and fibrosis of the colon, indolent ulceration, and a continued subacute or chronic inflammation which periodically becomes acute. There are successive periods of exacerbation and remission, and the disease differs little, both clinically and pathologically, from chronic idiopathic ulcerative colitis. During periods of active disease there may be fever and diarrhea with varying amounts of blood, mucus, and cellular debris in the stools. There is often disturbance of normal motor function with retention in the right colon. Considerable fibrosis of the mucosa and submucosa may complicate such chronically recurrent infections. Mucosal retention cysts may form as the result of incomplete healing, and these cysts may harbor Shigella bacilli which are intermittently discharged by chronic carriers. In severe dysentery caused by the Shiga bacillus, toxic nephritis is a common cause of death and emboli are often seen in the liver and spleen.