Bacteria in the Shigella genus cause the disease shigellosis. The symptoms of shigellosis include diarrhea, fever, and intestinal cramping. The disease is unpleasant, but most people recover within a week. Shigellosis is transmitted from one person to another through bodily wastes. You can catch shigellosis from a baby when changing its diaper. People also catch the disease by drinking contaminated water. The best way to avoid shigellosis is through frequent hand-washing with soap.
A strategy for fighting bacterial infections uses viruses. Viruses that infect bacteria are called bacteriophages. Phage comes from the Greek word for “eater.” Explain why it is not accurate to call a virus that kills bacteria a “bacteria eater." What happens when a virus attacks a cell?