The Impact of Shigellosis and Recommended Treatment in Children

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients \>6 and ≤59 months of age seeking care in the study hospitals * Patients residing within the study catchment area * Present with watery diarrhea and positive for Shigella by RLDT * Willing to be available for sample and data collection during the follow up visits Exclusion Criteria: * Inability or unwillingness of a participant's parent/guardian to give written informed consent or comply with study protocol * Diarrhea started more than 96 hours before enrollment * Antibiotics related to shigellosis treatment (including the investigational drug azithromycin) taken in the past 5 days * More than 2 doses of antidiarrheal drugs taken in the past 24 hours * History of allergy to Azithromycin * Presence of visible blood in stool * Children with severe acute malnutrition (below -3z scores of the median WHO growth standards). * History of congenital heart diseases, known gastrointestinal abnormalities, including short bowel syndrome, chronic (inflammatory or irritable) bowel disease, inherited or acquired immune system deficiency rendering the patient immunocompromised, including chronic/long-term steroid treatment or other immunosuppressive treatment * Fever over 39°C (102°F) with other complications that require antibiotic treatment * Past or current medical problems or findings from physical examination or laboratory testing that are not listed above, which, in the opinion of the investigator, may pose additional risks from participation in the st…