Sexually transmitted diarrhea is morphing into a superbug

Key Points:

• Shigella bacteria, causing dysentery-like symptoms, infect nearly half a million people annually in the US, with a rising spread through sexual transmission, especially among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).
• The infection, traditionally spread via contaminated food, water, or poor hygiene, is now increasingly transmitted through sex, with a 15% faster growth rate in sexually transmitted cases from 2015 to 2020 compared to other routes.
• Drug-resistant strains of Shigella have surged from 0% in 2011 to 8.5% in 2023, making the infection nearly untreatable with standard antibiotics, particularly in cases linked to sexual transmission.
• Experts highlight a lack of awareness about sexual transmission of Shigella as a key factor in its spread and emphasize the need for different treatment approaches depending on transmission mode.
• Prevention recommendations include thorough washing of hands and genitals before and after sex, using barriers like condoms and dental dams, cleaning sex toys, and avoiding sex with partners who have had recent diarrhea.