Researchers in France believe they have discovered how Shigella is able to cause human illness. According to an article in the Post Chronicle, written by the United Press International, and published at the Iowa State University Extension Food Safety News Web site: “Laurence Arbibe and colleagues at the Pasteur Institute in Paris found a protein produced by Shigella is injected into host cells and blocks production of immune signals required for preventing the infection.”

The full text of the study will be available in the January issue of the journal Nature Immunology.