Sexually transmitted diarrhoea is on the rise and it's 'close to untreatable'
An infection that can cause bloody diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps is increasingly being spread through sex.
Experts have advised people to take extra precautions before 'doing the nasty', as otherwise they might be at risk of shigella bacteria, which can cause dysentery.
It's transmitted when infected poo particles get into the mouth, either by contaminated food, sex or contact with someone who hasn't washed their hands properly.
A study in July showed that the spread of the disease through sex grew 15 percent faster year-over-year between 2015 and 2020 compared to spread through travel, food, or nursery outbreaks.
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To make matters worse, there are multiple variants of the bacteria, with some 'quickly becoming resistant to drugs'.
Research published in April by the CDC has shown that near-untreatable drug-resistant shigella increased from zero percent in 2011 to 8.5 percent in 2023.
Who is most at risk of shigella and how does it spread through sex?
Cambridge geneticist Kate Baker, a lead author on the July study, said that men who have sex with men are particularly at risk, who she says 'are unaware of the serious and increasing risk posed by sexually transmitted shigella'.
She added: “This disease has gone from being relatively treatable with off-the-shelf drugs to being close to untreatable over the course of the last decade or so."
HIV Prevention England adds that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men are also more at risk of drug-resistant strains of shigella.
It adds that you can come into contact with the bacteria from anal sex, handling a condom or sex toy used for anal sex, oral sex after anal sex, touching someone’s bum or rimming.
Someone infected with shigella can be infectious for up to a month and as few as 10 organisms of shigella are enough to make you sick.
What can you do to protect yourself?
The California Department of Public Health advises: "Don’t have sex with someone who has had diarrhoea in the last two weeks.”
HIV Prevention England also advises wearing condoms during anal sex, wearing a dental dam when rimming, and to avoid sharing sex toys.
If you think you have been infected with shigella, it's important to get tested.
HIV Prevention England also says that to avoid passing the infection on, you should wash your hands before touching food; wash clothing, bedding and towels in a 60C wash; and use hot soapy water to clean taps, door handles, toilet flushes and toilet seats often.
You should also let any sexual partner know if you've been infected and refrain from having for sex for at least at week after symptoms stop.
Symptoms of shigella
While not all people may get them, the most common symptoms of shigella include:
- Diarrhoea, which may contain blood and/or mucus
- Stomach cramps
- Pain around and in your anus (back passage)
- A feeling like you need to poo even when you’ve just had one
- Fever
- Feeling sick or vomiting
What happens if shigella is left untreated?
In most cases, shigella will get better without treatment in three to seven days - but some people can have a severe illness that needs treatment, so it’s best to see a GP if your symptoms are severe or don’t start to improve after a couple of days.
It can result in dysentery, severe dehydration, and in more extreme cases, seizures, per the Mayo Clinic.
If you think you have shigella, contact your GP or local sexual health clinic immediately, and it's important to stay hydrated.
So for now, maybe add 'looking for someone who has not had diarrhoea recently' to your prompts on Hinge, and make sure to wash all your bits and sex toys thoroughly before you get down and dirty, in a safe, hopefully non STI-spreading way.
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Health
James Moorhouse