Heather Yu analyzed the 2014-15 Shigella outbreak and its relevance to discussions in drug resistance. Shigella is a common bacterial infection that affects about 450,000 people annually in the US. Out of the infected population, 17% are drug resistant. The risk associated with multi-drug resistant (MDR) Shigella can not be underestimated, as 6% of all strains are resistant to ciprofloxacin, the most common treatment method for the disease.
In the case study, Yu examines a multi-drug resistant Shigella outbreak from May to February of 2014–2015. The outbreak occurred in thirty-two US states, primarily in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and California. The infected pollution totaled 245, of which 20% were hospitalized. The likely source of the outbreak was travelers from Morocco, India, and the Dominican Republic. Heather points out that the US case of the MDR Shigella outbreak demonstrates the threat of global antimicrobial resistance.
The epidemiological data of the outbreak was primarily collected from a study of infections and testing records from hospitalizations. In terms of management of the outbreak, the strategy ranged from no intervention to oral treatments and IV treatments. The US focused its management efforts on improving case detection in hospitals, strengthening restrictions around the use of antibiotics, and increasing research for alternative treatments. At the global level, the Transatlantic Taskforce on Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR) had been created to curtail the threat to global health.
Yu concludes it is crucial for resources to be invested in antibiotic-resistance research to prevent global public health threats. The public must be educated about the danger of similar infections in the future.
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