Bacterial dysentery caused by the Shigellae is a constant public health threat in developing countries. A team of OUCRU researchers led by Dr. Ha Vinh and Dr. Stephen Baker have recently concluded an investigation on the nature of the organisms causing shigellosis in southern Vietnam over 14 years; they found a marked change in the infecting species and the in corresponding antimicrobial resistance profile. The change in the nature of the organism is concurrent with a increase in associated disease severity.  These findings highlight how economic development plays an influential role in the population structure of circulating bacterial pathogens and in the alarming increase of antimicrobial resistance in these pathogens.  See http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/9/204 for the full article.