The medical world may have to deal with a new Shigella virus. What is different about the virus is that it could be resistant to medicine. There are not many antibiotics available for the treatment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an upsurge in intestinal infections brought on by Shigella bacteria that are “extensively drug-resistant” is being monitored.
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When someone touches their mouth after getting Shigella on their hand, they risk being infected.
People caring for an infected person are more susceptible. Also, exposure to surfaces contaminated by the virus increases the chances of an infection. Contaminated water and food are other sources.
The medicine-resistant virus is not new to the medical world. However, there has been an increase recently.
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that while no infections were related to the Shigella XDR strain in 2015, 5% of cases would be in 2022. The strain, resistant to the five medicines most frequently used to treat it, was responsible for 1% of all cases in the US in 2019.
“Given these potentially serious public health concerns, CDC asks healthcare professionals to be vigilant about suspecting and reporting cases of XDR Shigella infection to their local or state health department and educating patients and communities at increased risk about prevention and transmission,” says the CDC.