BRITS have been warned of a ‘concerning rise in cases’ of gut infection Shigella, which health officials say is ‘extremely drug-resistant’.
Cases of the nasty gut bug that causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever, have surged by 53 per cent since the beginning of 2023.
Getty ImagesShigella can cause diarrhoea and stomach cramps[/caption]
Shigella infections rose steadily between January and November this year, peaking at 485 in September.
This dramatic jump in infections has largely been driven by an “extensively antibiotic-resistant” strain of Shigella sonnei, the UK Health Security Agency said.
This strain has been behind a cluster of 97 cases reported up until November this year, the health watchdog explained.
By comparison, only four drug-resistant Shigella sonnei infections were spotted in the entirety of 2022.
“The strain is difficult to treat because it does not respond to the antibiotics typically used to treat Shigella,” the UKHSA said.
It added people in all regions of England had been diagnosed with the gut bug.
But cases were particularly concentrated in London, where 45 Shigella infections were reported.
Twenty-one people in the North West also came down with the nasty illness, while the South East reported 12 infections.
Drug-resistant Shigella has mostly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
It follows a similar rise in of cases of extensively antibiotic-resistant Shigella sonnei infections in January 2022 – but this outbreak was caused by a different strain of the bug.
“Cases of Shigella have been rising since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in July 2021, with annual cases now higher than the average before the pandemic,” the UKHSA noted.
Dr Gauri Godbole, Consultant Medical Microbiologist at UKHSA, said:
“This is a concerning rise in cases of this antibiotic resistant strain, meaning treatment can be very difficult.
“It’s important that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men do not dismiss their symptoms and speak to their GP or sexual health clinic, mentioning Shigella, if they are unwell.
“[People] with Shigella may have been exposed to other sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, so a sexual health screen at a clinic or ordering tests online is recommended.”
What are the symptoms of a Shigella infection?
The nasty gut infection causes diarrhoea that sometimes has blood in it, stomach cramps and fever.
Although symptoms can be unpleasant, in most cases they will subside within a week, the health watchdog explained.
But it said some people might need to be hospitalised and get intravenous antibiotic treatment – this is when antibiotics are injected into the vein.
“Effective antibiotic treatments are limited for this extremely resistant strain,” the UKHSA stressed.
But it said antibiotic treatment is recommended if you have severe symptoms, diarrhoea for over a week or have underlying immunodeficiency.
Shigella caused by bacteria found in poop that’s extremely infectious and can be passed between people during sex.
Dr Godbole advised: “One of the best ways to protect yourself and your partners is to practice good hygiene after sex.
“Avoid oral sex immediately after anal sex, and change condoms between anal or oral sex and wash your hands with soap after sexual contact.”
“A tiny amount of bacteria” and unwashed hands can be enough to spread the infection, UKHSA added.
Symptoms tend to appear between one and four days after exposure and are commonly mistaken for food poisoning.
If you come down with the nasty bug, the best thing to do is give yourself time to recover, stay hydrated and get lots of rest.
“Don’t have sex until seven days after your last symptom and avoid spas, swimming, jacuzzis, hot tubs and sharing towels, as well as preparing food for other people until a week after symptoms stop,” the UKHSA stressed.