{"id":51793,"date":"2026-04-15T22:04:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T22:04:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=51793"},"modified":"2026-04-15T22:04:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T22:04:31","slug":"cases-of-drug-resistant-diarrhea-superbug-on-the-rise-in-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=51793","title":{"rendered":"Cases of drug-resistant diarrhea superbug on the rise in US"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>We\u2019re flush with drugs \u2014\u00a0but they\u2019ve lost their edge.<\/p>\n<p>An antibiotic-resistant superbug responsible for bad diarrhea and fever symptoms has been on the rise in the US since at least 2023, according to explosive new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/75\/wr\/mm7513a1.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">data detailed by the CDC<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/shigella\/about\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shigella infections<\/a> were once easily zapped by antibiotics like azithromycin and ciprofloxacin, but the CDC reported that 8.5% of all Shigella bacteria samples sent to labs across the country in 2023 were \u201cextensively drug-resistant,\u201d or XDR. They no longer responded to standard treatments.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"39096736\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<figcaption>Even without the aid of antibiotics, in healthy adults, Shigella infections tend to resolve after a week of uncomfortable symptoms. But the infection can be much more dangerous in children under 5 and immunocompromised patients. <span class=\"credit\">bongkarn \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>What\u2019s worse: There is no FDA-approved alternative for patients who catch the bug.<\/p>\n<p>For most Shigella hosts, the infection isn\u2019t deadly. With or without antibiotics, it tends to resolve after about a week of intense diarrhea, fever and stomach pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But it can be life-threatening for immunocompromised patients and children under 5. A Shigella infection puts them at higher risk of developing dysentery in low- and middle-income countries, per a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/journals\/langlo\/article\/PIIS2214-109X(25)00534-0\/fulltext\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recent Lancet study<\/a> arguing for widespread access to a Shigella vaccine.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>While a vaccine isn\u2019t available, there are a handful of candidates in clinical trials.<\/p>\n<p>Nationwide, an estimated 450,000 Americans come down with some form of Shigella each year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a nationally notifiable disease like dengue or hepatitis, so doctors are required to report cases to their health departments. Researchers and health officials who track the data and test bacteria samples found that XDR cases have been climbing over the last 15 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In 2011, none of the tested Shigella samples were drug-resistant. By 2023, 8.5% of samples were.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"39096740\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.74446337;display:block\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"39096740\" width=\"1024\" height=\"587\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Illustration of rod-shaped Shigella bacteria with hairlike appendages and small bubbles in a reddish environment.\" class=\"wp-image-39096740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 7700w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=300,172&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=768,440&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=1024,587&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=1536,880&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=2048,1173&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=600,344&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=878,503&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 878w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=744,426&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 744w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=576,330&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=440,252&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=424,243&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 424w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=180,103&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=107,61&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 107w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=70,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 70w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=122,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 122w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=94,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 94w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=200,115&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=231,132&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=322,184&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=664,380&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 664w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=105,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 105w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=140,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 140w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=1200,687&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=87,50&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 87w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=234,134&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 234w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=50,29&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/client-shigella-bacteria-cell-common-125701209.jpg?resize=150,86&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Shigella bacteria are highly contagious and can be passed through sexual contact or contaminated water and food. <span class=\"credit\">Shutterstock \/ Corona Borealis Studio<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While Shigella can be picked up during travels \u2014 through contaminated food and water \u2014 the majority of analyzed cases were from patients with no recent travel history. And while no deaths were reported, a third of the cases resulted in hospitalization.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual contact, especially anal sex, can also transmit the germs, potentially helping to explain why recent XDR Shigella outbreaks have been linked to adult queer men.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n\t<\/aside>\n<p>Even with the aid of antibiotics, which usually only cut symptoms short by a couple of days, the only way through a Shigella infection is to ride it out. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/shigella\/treatment\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CDC recommends<\/a> drinking plenty of fluids to replenish the body and prevent dehydration and avoiding Imodium or Lomotil if the diarrhea is bloody.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers are increasingly concerned about broad resistance to antibiotics.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Well over a million people die each year from drug-resistant bacteria, and by 2050, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/indonesia\/news\/detail\/20-08-2024-deaths-due-to-amr-estimated-to-reach-10-million-people-by-2050--ministry-of-health-and-who-launch-national-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the World Health Organization estimates<\/a> that number could be 10 times higher.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As troubling as the bacteria are, it\u2019s equally frightening to see how they evolved into their drug-resistant state.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Scientists believe it\u2019s possible that the genes they developed might migrate to other gut bacteria, shielding them against antibiotics, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s for this and other reasons that the CDC has labeled XDR Shigella a \u201cpublic health threat\u201d in need of immediate prevention tactics like increased susceptibility testing and prompt reporting of cases presented to doctors throughout the country.<\/p>\n<p>For now, without a surefire Shigella treatment or vaccine on hand, the best hope for curbing the outbreak is to develop a stronger antibiotic that can overpower the bug.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/04\/15\/health\/cases-of-drug-resistant-diarrhea-superbug-on-the-rise-in-us\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re flush with drugs \u2014\u00a0but they\u2019ve lost their edge. An antibiotic-resistant superbug responsible for bad diarrhea and fever symptoms has been on the rise in the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51793"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51793\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/51794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}