P-2069. Outbreak of Shigella flexneri among people experiencing homelessness in Bernalillo County, NM 2021-2023
Henry Clay Carter, Angelica Solis, Leonard Noronha

TL;DR
A Shigella flexneri outbreak primarily affected homeless individuals in New Mexico, with cases linked to heavy rainfall and higher rates of comorbidities among homeless patients.
Contribution
Identifies homelessness as an emerging risk factor for shigellosis outbreaks, linked to weather and comorbidities.
Findings
Homeless patients had higher rates of hepatitis C, opiate use disorder, and bacteremia compared to housed patients.
All 67 shigellosis cases were caused by Shigella flexneri, showing high resistance to ampicillin and TMP/SMX.
Outbreaks coincided with periods of high precipitation, likely due to overcrowded shelters or encampments.
Abstract
Shigellosis is a diarrheal illness caused by gram-negative bacteria of the Shigella genus. It is transmitted via the fecal-oral route and associated with poor sanitation. In developed countries, incidence of shigellosis is low, with small outbreaks historically reported among childcare centers, prisons, and MSM communities. In the last 10 years a new pattern has emerged, with 9 outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in western cities of North America. Here we describe the demographic, clinical, and microbiological features of an outbreak that disproportionately affected PEH.Figure 1:Timeline of shigellosis outbreak by housing status, with monthly precipitation in Bernalillo County superimposedTable 1:Characteristics of 67 UNM shigellosis cases by housing status Timeline of shigellosis outbreak by housing status, with monthly precipitation in Bernalillo County…
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Taxonomy
TopicsViral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology · Escherichia coli research studies · Fecal contamination and water quality
