An “alarming” drug-resistant superbug is spreading through major US cities, doctors warn.
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles identified three cases of shigella in the city, a bacterial infection that causes explosive, bloody diarrhea as well as severe stomach pains.
All of the patients, all men, had been infected with the XDR Shigella sonnei strain of the disease, which is resistant to five common antibiotics.
The three men were infected over a three-month period between 2023 and 2024 and are believed to have contracted the disease through sex.
The researchers said that while all the men had a similar strain of Shigella, it was different from previous XDR strains found in other parts of the world.
This suggests that it had been spreading in the area for some time and they warned of the possibility of an outbreak that could spread to other areas.
the researchers wrote: ‘The discovery of a novel XDR S. sonnei that is actively spreading in Los Angeles is alarming.
Although these cases were limited to Los Angeles, similar outbreaks have been observed in major cities such as San Jose and Portland among gay men and homeless populations.
Shigella is spread when someone comes into contact with fecal matter through sex, diapers, food, or water.
The researchers said: “While most people recover from Shigella infections without antibiotics, patients requiring treatment who do not respond to standard antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and azithromycin may require alternative treatment regimens.”
“These cases highlight the rapid spread of XDR Shigella in the US and the urgent need for proper detection and treatment.”
All three men recovered, although one developed a serious infection and ended up in intensive care.
The bacteria spread when someone comes into contact with fecal matter, such as through sex or contaminated food or water.
This patient was a 62-year-old man with a history of HIV and hepatitis C, both of which may have left him immunocompromised and unable to fight the infection on his own.
He had survived shigella twice before, as well as Mpox, syphilis and gonorrhea.
He was rushed to the ICU with sepsis, the body’s extreme reaction to an infection that causes the immune system to attack healthy organs and tissues.
He recovered and was treated with meropenem injection, an alternative to antibiotics.
The other two patients, ages 29 and 62, presented to their primary care physicians for persistent diarrhea and were treated with several courses of antibiotics.
The CDC estimates that 450,000 cases of shigella are reported each year in the U.S., and more than half are resistant to common antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro).
Gay and bisexual men are most at risk, along with homeless people without reliable access to clean hygiene facilities.
Earlier this year, for example, officials in San Jose, California, confirmed three cases and suspected 19 others of shigella in a two-week period. The escapes are focused on homeless encampments in the area.
And last year, 45 cases of the bacteria were confirmed in camps in Portland, Oregon.
The UCLA experts warned: ‘The temporal proximity of the cases raised concerns about a possible outbreak.
“Our study provides timely and deeper information about the rapid spread of XDR Shigella in the United States.”