The emergence of sexually transmissible <i>Shigella flexneri</i> serotype 1b between 2019 and 2024 in England: a descriptive epidemiological study.

ABSTRACT: Background. Shigella species are pathogenic bacteria that cause gastrointestinal symptoms ranging from mild watery diarrhoea to bacillary dysentery. Transmission is faecal-oral and historically associated with international travel. Recently, sexual transmission has been documented among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Through routine surveillance, we observed an increase in notifications of S. flexneri serotype 1b. We investigated the emergence of this serotype and examined possible drivers of transmission.Methods. We used historical data and whole-genome sequencing data from S. flexneri 1b isolates submitted to the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to determine the relatedness of isolates and describe the population

SUBMITTER: Robinson A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12452169 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature