Public health officials are warning of a rise in extremely antibiotic-resistant Shigella sonnei infections, mainly in men who have sex with men.
Surveillance data collected by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found 47 cases in a four-month period between September and January compared with 16 cases in the previous 17 months.
UKHSA said it had been following the strain of the gut infection since 2018, but recent cases suggest that resistance to antibiotics is increasing.
Sex that may involve anal contact or contact with faeces is one way that the infection can spread, UKHSA said and symptoms are commonly mistaken for food poisoning.
Dr Gauri Godbole, consultant medical microbiologist at UKHSA, said: ‘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.’
She added: ‘Practising good hygiene after sex is really important to keep you and your partners safe.
‘Avoid oral sex immediately after anal sex, and change condoms between anal or oral sex and wash your hands with soap after sexual contact.’
The news comes as a recent study showed that GPs practicing under pressure are more likely to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics.
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And there I was thinking about barbecues in January.
The genus is named after Kiyoshi Shiga, who first discovered it in 1897.