A genus of gram-negative rods in the family Enterobacteriaceae. There are four subgroups or species. The type species, S. dysenteriae, causes bacillary dysentery in humans and nonhuman primates. Other animals are resistant to infection, but organisms have been isolated from dogs without clinical signs.

Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.