Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
A High-throughput Platform for the Screening of Salmonella spp./Shigella spp.
Published on: November 7, 2018
Microbiological Methods Used in the Enterics for Global Health Shigella Surveillance Study
Bri'Anna Horne1,2, Henry Badji2, Md Taufiqur Rahman Bhuiyan3
1Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Insights
The Enterics for Global Health study standardized methods to identify Shigella bacteria causing diarrhea in children. This ensures reliable data for upcoming vaccine trials and public health initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Shigella bacteria are a primary cause of childhood diarrhea globally.
- Multiple Shigella vaccines are in development, with Phase 3 trials approaching.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the microbiological methods for Shigella isolation and identification in the Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) surveillance study.
- To establish standardized protocols for consistent and comparable data collection across multiple study sites.
Main Methods:
- Developed and implemented a standardized laboratory protocol for culturing and identifying Shigella.
- The protocol was applied across 7 resource-limited settings.
- Secondary objectives included assessing antibiotic resistance, comparing sample types (rectal swabs vs. stool), and evaluating transport media.
Main Results:
- A standardized protocol for Shigella isolation and identification was successfully implemented across all study sites.
- The methods ensure consistency and comparability of microbiological data.
- The study established a foundation for future clinical trials and public health research.
Conclusions:
- The described culture methods provide reliable microbiological data for Shigella surveillance.
- This data is crucial for evaluating the efficacy of new Shigella vaccines in Phase 3 clinical trials.
- The standardized approach supports broader clinical and public health studies on Shigella infections.
Background:
Shigella is a major cause of diarrhea in young children worldwide. Multiple vaccines targeting Shigella are in development, and phase 3 clinical trials are imminent to determine efficacy against shigellosis.
Methods:
The Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella surveillance study is designed to determine the incidence of medically attended shigellosis in 6- to 35-month-old children in 7 resource-limited settings. Here, we describe the microbiological methods used to isolate and identify Shigella. We developed a standardized laboratory protocol for isolation and identification of Shigella by culture. This protocol was implemented across all 7 sites, ensuring consistency and comparability of results. Secondary objectives of the study are to determine the antibiotic resistance profiles of Shigella, compare isolation of Shigella from rectal swabs versus whole stool, and compare isolation of Shigella following transport of rectal swabs in Cary-Blair versus a modified buffered glycerol saline transport medium.
Conclusions:
Data generated from EFGH using culture methods described herein can potentially be used for microbiological endpoints in future phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate vaccines against shigellosis and for other clinical and public health studies focused on these organisms.
