Ohio health officials monitor drug-resistant shigellosis cases

The Ohio Department of Health is monitoring cases of shigellosis as health officials raise concerns about forms of the bacterial infection that are becoming resistant to treatment.

Symptoms can include dysentery, high fever, vomiting and severe stomach cramps.

Columbus has reported the most cases in Ohio, while cases have also been identified in other major cities across the state.

Shigellosis is highly contagious and can spread when microscopic amounts of infected stool enter another person’s mouth. Transmission can occur through contaminated food, water and surfaces, as well as during sexual activity.

Health officials say some infected people may spread the illness without realizing they are carriers. More than 68 percent of the cases reported so far have involved men, with gay and bisexual men among those considered at increased risk.