What type of stool is typically associated with Shigella infection?

Shigella infection is commonly associated with loose, watery stools, often accompanied by additional symptoms such as abdominal pain and fever. This type of diarrhea occurs because Shigella bacteria invade the intestinal lining, causing inflammation and disrupting normal absorption and secretion processes in the intestines. As a result, the body expels fluid in larger volumes, leading to the characteristic loose and watery stool.

While blood-stained stools can occur in some cases of Shigella infection due to the damage to the intestinal lining, the defining feature of the diarrhea is the watery consistency, which makes loose, watery stool the primary association with this infection. The other stool types, such as hard and dry or narrow stools, do not relate to Shigella infections, as they indicate different digestive issues not typical of this bacterial illness.