The share of U.S. Shigella isolates classified as extensively drug-resistant climbed to 8.5% in 2023, up from 0% during 2011–2015, a CDC analysis found.
Researchers examined 16,788 isolates with resistance data collected through Oct. 20, 2023. Of those, 510 resisted five commonly used antibiotics. More than 84% of those resistant isolates were reported in 2022 and 2023.
Shigella can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach pain. It spreads through contact with fecal matter, contaminated food or water, and sexual contact. The CDC did not analyze sexual exposure because that information was incomplete, so the findings do not show how many infections spread through sex.
There is no FDA-approved oral antibiotic specifically for extensively drug-resistant Shigella infections. Doctors may need laboratory tests to determine which medicines are likely to work.
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