Antibiotic-Resistant Shigella Stomach Bug Spreading in US; 200 Confirmed Cases

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An antibiotic-resistant strain of stomach bug is spreading across the US, and has had over 200 confirmed cases last May, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The illness caused by the stomach bug is called shigellosis, is caused by shigella bacteria. It has been reported that there are 243 cases in 32 states where the biggest cases were reported to be in California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania according to CNBC. This particular bacterial strain is resistant to Cipro, an antibiotic commonly prescribed for adults to treat the infection.

"These outbreaks show a troubling trend in Shigella infections in the United States," Tom Frieden, CDC Director said in a statement. "Drug-resistant infections are harder to treat and because Shigella spreads so easily between people, the potential for more-and larger-outbreaks is a real concern."

According to the CBS News, most of the cases were coming from people who traveled from the Dominican Republic, India, or other countries. "This is the first time we've documented this large an outbreak of antibiotic-resistant (shigella) linked to international travel," Dr. Anna Bowen of the CDC said.

The bug is very contagious and can be easily spread by eating contaminated food or swimming in pools and ponds. Symptoms of the bacterial infection include diarrhea, stomach pain, and fever and usually develop 24-48 hours after exposure.

Shigella bacteria can be spread even when a person is not experiencing any symptoms and outbreaks are said to be common especially at daycare centers in staff who don't do proper hand washing after changing diapers.

The infection is described as unpleasant and can normally be treated with Pepto-Bismol or Imodium or antibiotics such as azithromycin for children and Cipro for adults. However, health officials have noted that a particular shigella strain is resistant to the commonly prescribed antibiotics mentioned above. And now, the antibiotic-resistant superbug has continually sickened people in 32 states and in Puerto Rico.

"This outbreak really highlights that multidrug-resistance in other countries is also a problem for the U.S.," Anna Bowen, the lead epidemiologist of the CDC study says. "Cases have continued to accrue over the month since we put together this report. So we're monitoring it carefully," she said in an article by NPR.

"If rates of resistance become this high, in more places, we'll have very few options left for treating Shigella with antibiotics by mouth," Bowen added. At this rate, health officials will resort to IV antiobotic treatment.

The best prevention for the shigellosis is by washing hands thoroughly and properly while traveling, and choosing foods wisely, Bowen said. If having diarrhea, she recommended taking over-the-counter drugs like Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate before trying any antibiotic.