Public health alert in US: CDC warns of a rise in Shigella infections that cause diarrhea

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has issued a public health alert across the country, warning citizens of shigella infections. In an April 9 report, federal health officials stated they found the infections, known to cause cases of diarrhea to be on a rise, with cases having jumped 8.5% from 2011 to 2023. Officials called the increase a "public health threat" since the strain is drug-resistant and has no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral treatment. "Strengthened surveillance, timely reporting and targeted prevention strategies are needed to limit transmission of XDR (extensively drug-resistant) Shigella strains," the report noted.Shigella is a type of bacteria known to cause an infection called Shigellosis. It causes an estimated 450,000 infections in the US annually, with antimicrobial-resistant infections causing a $93 million in direct medical costs, as per the CDC. Symptoms of the infection typically start within one to two days and last seven days. Most infected patients experience: Shigella spreads easily through faecal-oral transmission, sexual contact or contaminated food, water, surfaces and objects. Children under the age of 5, travellers, gay and bisexual men, and the homeless are at a heightened risk of contracting Shigella infections along with people of all ages. However, data from 2016 to 2023 in the report showed cases of the infections were predominant in non-Hispanic White men. As per the CDC, certain steps are vital in order to prevent the transmission of the infection:Patients with Shigella infections typically improve in health without antibiotic treatment within a period of five to seven days. Keeping hydrated in case of diarrhea is advised.