Published May 20, 2026 by . Last Updated May 28, 2026. 3 min read A new report by PETA shows that Shigella , a highly contagious, often drug-resistant pathogen spread through fecal contamination, for which humans and other primates are the only natural hosts, is widespread and often unreported or underreported among monkeys in the U.S. experimentation industry. The findings raise serious public health concerns as infected monkeys are transported among importers, quarantine facilities, breeders, laboratories, and universities across the country. There are more than 100,000 monkeys currently in U.S. laboratories, breeding, and holding facilities. The Drug-Resistant Details PETA compiled years of scientific publications, veterinary records, and institutional documents, and found that Shigella is circulating throughout the U.S. monkey experimentation industry, infecting workers, persisting in monkey colonies, and contributing to the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria.…