The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health warning about an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The centers said that the Shigella bacteria is easily transmitted and that there are only a limited number of treatments available against it.
And the “CDC” confirmed, on Friday, that the bacteria are able to spread antibiotic resistance genes to other bacteria that infect the intestine.
The bacterial infection known as shigellosis can cause fever, abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea.
The bacteria are spread through fecal-oral route, person-to-person contact, and contaminated food and water.
While shigellosis usually affects young children, the CDC said it has documented more antibody-resistant infections in adults, particularly in men who have sex with men, homeless people, international travelers and people living with HIV.
Given the potentially serious public health concerns, the CDC asked health care professionals to exercise caution about suspected cases of shigella infection.
She said patients will recover from shigellosis without any antibiotic treatment, but for those with drug-resistant strains, there are no recommendations for treatment if symptoms become more severe.
Infections with drug-resistant strains of bacteria rose from zero in 2015 to 5 percent in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nationwide, there are nearly 3 million antibiotic-resistant infections each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result, according to the CDC.
A recent report by the United Nations said that nearly 5 million deaths worldwide were linked to antimicrobial resistance in 2019, and the annual toll is expected to rise to 10 million by 2050 if steps are not taken to stop its spread.