The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is releasing this Health Advisory to alert healthcare providers and clinical laboratories of a rise in extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Shigella strains in California.

From January to May 2024, 12% of California Shigella isolates have been identified as XDR based on whole genome sequencing and 75% of adult males with XDR Shigella isolates self-identified as men who have sex with men (MSM). Healthcare providers should tailor any shigellosis antibiotic treatment to available antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) data, and counsel patients at increased risk of infection on prevention and risk reduction practices.

Clinical laboratories should perform complete antimicrobial susceptibility testing that includes azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole [TMP-SMX], and ampicillin, on available Shigella isolates as resources allow.

Please see the full CDPH Health Advisory here:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/CAHAN/Rise-in-Extensively-Drug-Resistant-Shigella-Strains.aspx