resistant’ shigella infections rising in U.S.: CDC – NBC Chicago
NBC 5 Chicago • • health
Key Points:
- The CDC reports a rise in extensively drug-resistant shigella infections in the U.S., increasing from 0% in 2011-2015 to 8.5% in 2023, posing a significant public health threat.
- Drug-resistant shigella strains, first identified in 2016, have primarily affected adult men in recent outbreaks, differing from previous drug-susceptible strains that mainly impacted children.
- Shigella, an intestinal infection caused by shigella bacteria, commonly presents with symptoms such as diarrhea (sometimes bloody), stomach pain, fever, and vomiting, with symptoms typically resolving within a week.
- The CDC warns that no FDA-approved oral antimicrobial treatments are currently available for these drug-resistant shigella infections, complicating treatment efforts.
- Most cases in the recent outbreak occurred domestically, with over 80% of infected individuals reporting no international travel, indicating community spread.
