The CDC issues an alert regarding a rise in drug-resistant stomach bugs named Shigella
Health experts in the US are alerting the public about an increase in a drug-resistant type of stomach illness that kills thousands of Americans each year.
Diarrhoea, fever, and stomach problems are the basic symptoms of the Shigella bacteria. Authorities have seen an increase in cases connected to the drug-resistant strain since 2015.
Health officials said it was a major public health danger because infections could not be treated with medicines.
Without correct medical attention or treatment, it can result in serious sickness or even death.
According to a statement released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while no infections were related to the Shigella XDR strain in 2015, 5% of cases will be in 2022.
In 2019, the strain was responsible for 1% of all infections in the US and was resistant to the top five medicines used to treat it.
The CDC claims that direct and surface interaction with an infectious person’s faeces is the most common way for Shigella to spread. Shigellosis, a type of dysentery that can result from it, is among the most common causes of death associated with diarrhoea around the globe.
Many situations can be controlled with the right fluids and rest. Officials claim that regular hand washing can prevent it. Currently, it results in fewer than five fatalities per year in the US.
According to the CDC, those who are immunocompromised, overseas travellers, males who have sex with men, and people who don’t have shelter to live are at a higher risk of contracting the XDR strain.
The CDC urged medical personnel to be alert in spotting and reporting instances of XDR Shigella infection to their local or state health departments, as well as informing individuals and communities at higher risk about protection and transmissions.
Last year, authorities in the UK also issued a warning about an “unusually high number of illnesses” connected to the XDR strain.The CDC issues an alert regarding a rise in drug-resistant stomach bugs named Shigella