A highly contagious sexually transmitted diarrheal disease is becoming increasingly difficult to treat as drug-resistant strains spread, health officials warn.
Considered a public health threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shigellosis causes about 450,000 infections in the United States each year, according to USA TODAY. It can be spread by fecal-oral transmission, sexual contact, and contaminated food or water.
Ohio has reported hundreds of cases of shigellosis this year alone. Symptoms may include diarrhea, stomach pain and fever. Some cases cause bloody diarrhea. Here’s what to know about the infection and whether Ohio is a hot spot.
Shigella infections causing sexually transmitted diarrheal diseases
Microscopic view of the Shigella bacteria that causes a disease called shigellosis. 3D illustration
Shigella is a bacteria that causes shigellosis, an illness that can trigger diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the CDC.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, the illness can also cause nausea and a persistent urge to have a bowel movement. Some people have no symptoms.
How many cases of shigellosis has Ohio reported?
Ohio has reported 360 cases of shigellosis this year as of Oct. 8, according to the Ohio Department of Health’s disease dashboard. Franklin County leads the state with 118 cases, followed by Cuyahoga (43), Summit (27) and Hamilton (20).
Ten cases have been reported so far in October.
Ohio recorded 395 cases of shigellosis in 2025.
How common is shigellosis?
Historically, shigellosis in the United States primarily affected children, but data from 2016 to 2023 in the latest report shows that cases primarily affected non-Hispanic white men, USA TODAY reports. The same is true in Ohio, where more than 68% of the 2,026 cases have been in men and nearly 57% have occurred in white men and women.
Anyone can get shigellosis, but young children are particularly vulnerable, according to the CDC. Outbreaks often occur in daycares and schools.
The agency adds that travelers, homeless people and gay and bisexual men are also at increased risk.
People with shigellosis often recover within five to seven days without antibiotics. The CDC recommends drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
How to help prevent the spread of shigellosis, a sexually transmitted diarrheal disease
The CDC suggests several steps to avoid contracting or spreading shigella, including:
Wash your hands properly.
Avoid swallowing water while swimming.
Follow good food and water habits when traveling.
If you or your partner are diagnosed with shigellosis, do not have sex for at least two weeks after symptoms stop.
Why are health officials worried about the spread of shigellosis?
A CDC report from April found that drug-resistant Shigella is on the rise. Extremely drug-resistant strains represented 8.5% of samples in 2023, compared to 0% in 2011.
In 2023, the CDC issued a health advisory regarding the XDR (extensively drug-resistant) strain, saying it is a growing threat because it is resistant to commonly used oral antibiotics.
“Enhanced surveillance, timely reporting, and targeted prevention strategies are needed to limit the transmission of XDR Shigella strains,” the report notes.
“It’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle,” Dr. Aaron Glatt, an epidemiologist and chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau in New York, told USA TODAY at the time. “We’re going to see strains here that are resistant to commonly used treatments.”
While most people recover within a week, health officials say the growing number of drug-resistant infections reminds us to wash our hands, stay home when sick and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen.
This article was originally published on The Columbus Dispatch: Hundreds of people in Ohio are sick with sexually transmitted diarrhea
Gn Health
