Shigella sonnei: epidemiology, evolution, pathogenesis, resistance and host interactions

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Shigella sonnei is a growing global cause of diarrhea, often overlooked compared to other Shigella species.
• Shigella species are complex and sensitive to environmental shifts, influencing epidemiological trends.
• Advances in understanding Shigella flexneri provide a foundation for studying S. sonnei.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on Shigella sonnei.
• To highlight recent insights into its epidemiology, microbiology, and pathogenesis.
• To assess the impact of new data on vaccine development and implementation.

Main Methods:

• Leveraging established methods and data from Shigella flexneri research.
• Utilizing genomic surveillance for insights into antimicrobial resistance, evolution, and transmission.
• Synthesizing current scientific literature and recent findings.

Main Results:

• Shigella sonnei is a globally disseminated, antimicrobial-resistant pathogen.
• Genomic surveillance has illuminated its resistance patterns, evolutionary pathways, and transmission dynamics.
• Understanding S. sonnei's complexity and environmental susceptibility is crucial.

Conclusions:

• Recent advancements offer significant insights into Shigella sonnei.
• Novel data are critical for developing and implementing effective vaccines.
• Continued research is essential to combat this evolving pathogen.