Since April, 309 cases of shigellosis have been reported to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, including 106 in the U.S. Most of the cases were caused by multidrug-resistant strains of the shigella bacteria, with transmission primarily seen among men who have sex with men.
The cases are linked to seven "distinct microbiologic clusters" in Belgium (26), Denmark (13), Germany (33), Ireland (50), the Netherlands (21), Spain (60) and the U.S. (106).
"All strains in these seven clusters show resistance to first and second-line antibiotics, such as third-generation cephalosporin, fluoroquinolones, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim. Of particular concern is resistance to azithromycin in some of the strains related to these clusters, as this limits the options for effective treatment," the agency said in a July 18 epidemiological update.
Shigellosis is a gastrointestinal infection usually contracted by ingesting contaminated food and water. Read more here.