Kingston University Higher Education Corporation

Drug-Resistant Shigella Spreads as Sexually Transmitted Infection Across England, Genomic Study Reveals

- A nationwide genomic study of 3,514 Shigella samples found sexually transmitted strains spread an average of 117 km versus 46 km for non-sexually transmitted strains in England. - Seventy percent of sexually transmitted Shigella strains were resistant to at least one clinically relevant antibiotic, compared with 40% of non-sexually transmitted cases. - UKHSA figures show more than 2,500 cases of sexually transmitted Shigella in England in 2025, up from just over 2,000 in 2023. - Researchers stress that standard hygiene measures are ineffective against sexual transmission and call for urgent development of vaccines, clearance pathways, and tailored treatment guidelines.