The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a “severe public health” alert, warning of a nationwide rise in “extremely drug-resistant” shigellosis.
The highly contagious bacterial infection shigella attacks the intestines and causes inflammatory, sometimes bloody diarrhea, according to the CDC’s “emergency response and preparedness.”
There are about 450,000 shigellosis infections each year in the United States, resulting in an estimated direct medical cost of $93 million, according to CDC data.
The agency also reported that 5% of all infections in 2022 were extremely drug-resistant, or “XDR,” a jump from zero drug-resistant cases in 2015.
An infection is considered XDR when it does not respond to the antibiotics normally used to treat it, such as azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone, among others.
“XDR shigellosis is resistant to all antibiotics generally recommended in the United States, making it difficult to treat,” according to the new report. XDR shigellosis is a serious threat to public health: the XDR bacterium shigella it has limited antimicrobial treatment options, is easily transmissible, and can spread antimicrobial resistance genes to other enteric bacteria.
Health care providers “need to understand the nuances of infection testing and management, especially when treating patients from populations at higher risk for drug-resistant shigellosis, including: young children; gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men; homeless; international travelers; and people living with HIV.
Children under the age of 5, as well as those in daycare and educational settings, and those traveling to places “where food and water may be unsafe and sanitation is poor” are at additional risk of infection. for shigellosis.
Medical professionals treating XDR shigellosis “should consult with a specialist knowledgeable in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to determine the best treatment options,” the CDC wrote in its statement.
The CDC recommends that all patients with suspected or confirmed shigellosis should:
· Stay home from school or health care, food service, or child care jobs while you are sick or until the health department tells you it is safe to return.
· Abstain from sex.
· Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
· Do not prepare food for others, if possible.
· Stay out of recreational water, including swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, oceans, lakes, and rivers.
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