The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data showing a sharp increase in extensively drug‑resistant (XDR) Shigella infections. Between 2011 and 2023 the agency tested nearly 17,000 samples of the bacteria that causes shigellosis, a gastrointestinal illness marked by diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. In 2023, 8.5% of the samples with resistance data were classified as XDR – meaning they were resistant to all five antibiotics defined by the CDC – whereas no XDR cases were recorded from 2011 to 2015.
What the data mean
Dr. Tyler Evans, an infectious‑disease physician and CEO of the Wellness Equity Alliance, emphasized that the rise is not due to a surge in overall infections but to the bacteria evolving resistance. “Case counts can hold steady while the treatment options quietly disappear,” he told Fox News Digital. Currently, there is no FDA‑approved oral antibiotic for XDR Shigella.
How Shigella spreads
Shigella is highly contagious and can be transmitted through contaminated food or water, unwashed hands, or direct sexual contact when fecal matter is transferred. While it is not classified as a typical sexually transmitted infection, Dr. Andi Toufexis, a family‑medicine physician specializing in sexual health, noted that the bacteria can be spread during sex if one partner’s fecal matter contacts the other’s genitals or mouth.
Who is most at risk
The CDC report found that the majority of XDR cases occurred in adult men, with 86% of patients being male and a median age of 41. Among those with known HIV status, nearly half were living with HIV. Homeless individuals and people with weakened immune systems also face heightened risk.
Children under five remain vulnerable to Shigella, especially in childcare settings and schools, though earlier outbreaks in the United States primarily involved strains that were still susceptible to antibiotics.
Hospitalizations and outcomes
Of the patients for whom hospitalization data were available, 37.6% required admission for the resistant infection. The CDC reported no deaths among the XDR cases analyzed, but cautioned that infections may be undercounted because not all positive specimens were cultured or tested for resistance.
Public‑health recommendations
Doctors advise basic hygiene measures to reduce transmission: wash hands, genitals and the anal area before and after sexual activity, use condoms or dental dams, and clean sex toys after each use. If a partner experiences diarrhea, it is recommended to abstain from sex and wait at least two weeks after symptoms resolve before resuming sexual activity.
Dr. Michael Aziz, an internist in New York City, warned against self‑medicating with antidiarrheal drugs such as Imodium without medical guidance. “You want to flush out the bacteria, you want to get it out of your system,” he said.
Looking ahead
Dr. Evans urged Americans to be “concerned, not panicked” and called for continued surveillance and research into new treatment options. As antibiotic resistance grows, public‑health officials stress the importance of preventive practices and early medical consultation for anyone suspecting a Shigella infection.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
