Multidrug-resistant Shigella flexneri outbreak affecting humans and non-human primates in New Mexico, USA

Sarah Shrum Davis, Paris Salazar-Hamm, Karen Edge, Tim Hanosh, Jessica Houston, Anastacia Griego-Fisher, Francelli Lugo, Nicholas Wenzel, D’Eldra Malone, Carol Bradford, Kelly Plymesser, Michael Baker, Kurt Schwalm, Sarah Lathrop, Chad Smelser, Darrell L. Dinwiddie and Daryl Domman ()
Additional contact information
Sarah Shrum Davis: New Mexico Department of Health
Paris Salazar-Hamm: University of New Mexico
Karen Edge: New Mexico Department of Health
Tim Hanosh: New Mexico Department of Health
Jessica Houston: New Mexico Department of Health
Anastacia Griego-Fisher: New Mexico Department of Health
Francelli Lugo: City of Albuquerque Environmental Health
Nicholas Wenzel: New Mexico Department of Health
D’Eldra Malone: New Mexico Department of Health
Carol Bradford: City of Albuquerque BioPark
Kelly Plymesser: New Mexico Department of Health
Michael Baker: New Mexico Department of Health
Kurt Schwalm: University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
Sarah Lathrop: Office for Community Health
Chad Smelser: New Mexico Department of Health
Darrell L. Dinwiddie: University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
Daryl Domman: University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Shigellosis is a gastrointestinal infection caused by species of Shigella. A large outbreak of Shigella flexneri serotype 2a occurred in Albuquerque, New Mexico between May 2021 and November 2023 that involved humans and non-human primates (NHP) from a local zoo. We analyzed the genomes of 202 New Mexican isolates as well as 15 closely related isolates from other states, and four from NHP. The outbreak was initially detected within men who have sex with men but then predominantly affected people experiencing homelessness. Nearly 70% of cases were hospitalized and there was one human death. The outbreak extended into Albuquerque’s BioPark Zoo, causing high morbidity and six deaths in NHPs. All isolates were multidrug-resistant, including towards fluoroquinolones, a first line treatment option which led to treatment failures in human and NHP populations. We show the circulation of the same S. flexneri strain in humans and NHPs, causing fatalities in both populations. This study demonstrates the threat of antimicrobial resistant organisms to vulnerable human and NHP populations and emphasizes the value of genomic surveillance within a One Health framework.

Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59766-3 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-59766-3

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59766-3

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().