On Friday, the CDC released a health warning regarding a rise in an antibiotic-resistant strain of the Shigella bacteria.
According to the agency, Shigella is highly contagious and causes 450,000 infections annually in the United States.
Generally, people heal on their own, but those who have severe instances or underlying illnesses that compromise their immune systems may require antibiotic treatment.
The CDC issued the warning because the bacteria is highly transmissible, and medical professionals treating patients with the drug-resistant XDR strain of Shigella have few antibiotic treatment options.
“Given these potentially serious public health concerns,” the agency has advised medical professionals to be on the lookout for and report cases of the XDR type of Shigella to local and state health departments.
The XDR strain of the bacteria was responsible for 5% of Shigella infections reported to the CDC last year.
According to the CDC, people with HIV, homeless people, international travelers, and men who have sex with men are significantly affected by the rise in antimicrobial-resistant Shigella infections.
The agency urges medical professionals to inform their patients at high risk of infection about prevention and how it is spread.
