CDC Flags Drug-Resistant Shigella as Public Health Threat
The agency's latest antimicrobial resistance report highlights rising resistance in the severe diarrheal bacteria, which can spread through sexual contact.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Sexual Health
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The CDC listed drug-resistant shigellosis as a serious public health threat in its Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report released in October. North Carolina health officials are aware of two sexually transmitted Shigella cases tied to a multi-state cluster.
Why it matters
Extensively drug-resistant Shigella strains resist five commonly used antibiotics, and a separate CDC report found their share of samples rose from 0% in 2011 to 2015 to 8.5% in 2023. Because the bacteria spread easily through sexual activity involving stool exposure, the rise in resistance raises the stakes for treatment across the United States.
The CDC's surveillance samples show extensively drug-resistant Shigella rose from 0% between 2011 and 2015 to 8.5% in 2023, and such strains resist five commonly used antibiotics. The report does not say how many cases in the North Carolina cluster involve resistant strains.
The players
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC is the U.S. federal public health agency that tracks infectious diseases and publishes the Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
The state agency responsible for public health in North Carolina, which is aware of the two sexually transmitted Shigella cases tied to the multi-state cluster.
The details
Shigella is a bacterium found in stool that causes severe diarrheal illness and spreads easily in daycare settings and through sexual activity involving exposure to stool. Even a tiny amount of stool contamination can cause illness, and the CDC advises abstaining from sex for two weeks after symptoms end.
Timeline
- Between 2011 and 2015, extensively drug-resistant Shigella samples measured 0%.
- In April 2026, the CDC released a report on rising Shigella drug resistance.
- In 2023, extensively drug-resistant Shigella samples reached 8.5%.
- In October 2026, the CDC released its Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report.
Health Landscape
The CDC's Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report is the agency's ongoing national tally of drug-resistant pathogens, and this year it flagged Shigella as a serious threat. The sharp rise from 0% to 8.5% of resistant samples marks a clear escalation in the resistance trend the report tracks.
Because even a tiny amount of stool contamination can cause illness, practicing careful hygiene matters for both daycare settings and sexual health. If symptoms appear, the CDC advises abstaining from sex for two weeks after they end to reduce spread to others.
The takeaway
Antibiotic resistance is rising in pathogens that spread through everyday contact, so practicing hygiene and seeking testing after symptoms is an important step. Readers who develop severe diarrhea should consult a health provider promptly.
Further reading
For more on how infections like this are transmitted, explore our Sexual Health coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Durham Herald Sun.
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