From Streets to Bedrooms: How Shigella Spreads in America

The last time I reported on Shigella, a bacterial disease that spreads through human feces, Portland, Oregon, was contending with a serious outbreak after decriminalizing homeless encampments.

In that report, I noted that Shigella infections lead to profuse diarrhea, fever, and stomach pains…and these symptoms can last for weeks. Sometimes, bowel habits (frequency and stool consistency) do not return to normal for several months.

This disease is typically reported in developing regions of Africa and Asia. But concerns about its presence in this country are rising in the wake of reports that the bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics.

A drug-resistant bacterial infection has been on the rise in the U.S. in recent years, according to an alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Shigella, a gram-negative bacteria, causes a diarrheal illness called shigellosis. Drug-resistant incidences of the infection have “increased substantially” in the U.S. between 2011 and 2023.