- Case counts (2016-2025), population estimates (2016-2023), & population projections (2024-2025): Public Health Ontario.
- Query: Case counts of reportable diseases by public health unit and year. Toronto, ON: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; extracted on March 9, 2026.
Shigellosis
Shigella
Shigellosis is an illness of the intestines caused by bacteria called shigella. Shigella is naturally found in the intestines of humans.
Shigellosis is easily spread, and you can become infected by eating contaminated foods, drinking contaminated liquids, touching contaminated surfaces, swimming and bathing in contaminated recreational waters, having exposure to the stool of an infected person, or touching your food or your mouth with hands that are contaminated.
Local Information
2025 Statistics
Incidence rate is the number of new cases of disease divided by the number of persons at risk for the disease during a particular time period.
Cases:
2*
Incidence rate per 100,000 in 2025: 1.3
*Includes confirmed cases in 2025.
Incidence rate per 100,000 of shigellosis by year
More information about shigellosis
Report to the Health Unit within one business day by fax (705-482-0670) or phone at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229 if shigellosis is suspected or confirmed as per Ontario Regulation 135/18 and amendments under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O., c.H.7.
Should one go to childcare, school, or work if they have shigellosis?
Exclude symptomatic individuals who are food handlers, healthcare providers, caregivers, or childcare staff/attendees until a negative stool sample or rectal swab is collected at least 24 hours after symptoms stop or 48 hours after completing antibiotic treatment.
Avoid attending swimming pools, hot tubs, or water spray parks (splash pads) for at least 7 days after symptoms have stopped.
Follow the direction of your healthcare provider, public health case manager, or occupational health at your workplace.
Healthcare provider information
At Public Health Ontario, primary testing of clinical specimens for enteric bacteria is restricted to local health unit requests for case management and cluster/outbreak investigations only. Refer to Public Health Ontario: Enteric Bacteria (including Salmonella, Shigella, STEC, Plesiomonas, Yersinia, Aeromonas, Vibrio, or Campylobacter) – Culture and PCR for additional information.
Treatment is at the discretion of the attending health care provider. Most patients recover without complications within 5 to 7 days without specific treatment. Antibiotics are prescribed based on the severity of disease, the age of the patient and the likelihood of further transmission of the infection. See Public Health Agency of Canada, For health professionals: Shigellosis (Shigella) – Treatment for more information.
Infection prevention and control
Contact precautions (gown and gloves) are indicated for the duration of the illness in addition to routine practices. Refer to Appendix N: Clinical Syndromes/Conditions with Required Level of Precautions from Public Health Ontario’s Best Practices for Routine Practices and Additional Precautions for additional information.
Public Health Agency of Canada
Public Health Ontario
Contact our Communicable Disease Control (CDC) program at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229, or by email to cdc@healthunit.ca for more information.
Last updated: July 2026, by CDC