Shigella as a Food borne Pathogen.

Shigellosis is classically thought of as a waterborne disease; however, public health data suggest that foodborne outbreaks are a significant, if not the major cause of the disease in the United States. The role of Shigella as a foodborne pathogen is reviewed, including discussions of taxonomy, epidemiology, virulence factors, growth and survival in foods and model systems, and methods for detection/identification in food products.