Shigella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli causing bloody diarrhea in Latin America.

In Latin America, Shigella and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are the two leading agents in the cause of bloody diarrhea. The already high and increasing antimicrobial resistance of Shigella also is a significant problem. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli is an emerging disease with life-threatening complications: hemolytic uremic syndrome. Although E. coli O157:H7 remains the most commonly recognized serotype, recently emerging, non-O157 bacteria may be the cause of a similar spectrum of disease in humans.