Epidemiological study of shigellosis in an urban area of Argentina.

Introduction: Shigellosis represents one of the main causes of bloody diarrhoea in South America. This study aimed to establish the incidence of shigellosis in an urban zone of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by examining the type of Shigella and living conditions associated with this infection.

Methodology: Between January 2009 and December 2010 we analyzed shigellosis in children admitted to the public health service with bloody diarrhoea from La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires, Argentina.