Kiyoshi Shiga

Shiga Kiyoshi (Japanese志 贺 洁; born February 7, 1871 ( Meiji 3/12/18 ), Sendai, † January 25, 1957 in Tokyo ) was a Japanese physician and bacteriologist. He discovered in 1897 which was later named after him bacterium Shigella dysenteriae, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, referred to as diarrheal disease.

Life

Kiyoshi Shiga was born in 1871 in Sendai and studied from 1892 to 1896 medicine at the University of Tokyo. He has worked during his studies at the microbiologist Shibasaburo Kitasato, who later became the bacterium Clostridium tetani isolated, the causative agent of tetanus. After finishing his studies, Shiga remained at the Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Tokyo. In 1897 he discovered the first here as Bacillus dysenteriae designated agent of dysentery also mentioned diarrheal disease shigellosis. Two years later he was at the Institute laboratory director, in 1900 he developed an antiserum against dysentery.

From 1901 to 1903 he worked at the later Nobel laureate Paul Ehrlich in Germany. After his return to Japan, he worked again in the Tokyo Institute at Kitasato Shibasaburo, 1905 he received the title Igaku Hakushi ( Doctor of Medicine ). In 1920 he became professor of bacteriology at the Imperial University in Keijo Keijo. From 1929 to 1931 he was president of the university and medical advisor to the Japanese Governor-General for the former Japanese province Chosen. Then he returned again to Tokyo, where he remained until his death. He died in 1957 in Tokyo.

Scientific work

The research interests of Kiyoshi Shiga dysentery included, in addition, other bacterial infectious diseases such as leprosy and tuberculosis. In addition, he dealt with the the early 20th century esteemed yet as infectious disease beriberi disease, for which the Dutch hygienists Christiaan Eijkman later recognized as a vitamin deficiency cause. His publications, which included a two-volume work on the clinical bacteriology, had a significant impact on medical research and teaching in his home country.

Appreciation and remembrance

In honor of Kiyoshi Shiga who discovered him dysentery pathogen later called Shigella dysenteriae, as well as the associated bacterial genus Shigella and produced by these bacteria Shiga toxins were named after him. Caused by Shigella diarrhea is accordingly referred to as shigellosis. From the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy named after a Kiyoshi Shiga and Sahachiro Hata prize is awarded each year. 1927 Kiyoshi Shiga was admitted to the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He also received the 1944 Japanese Order of Culture in 1957 and posthumously the Order of the Sacred Treasure.