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Cases of sexually transmitted Shigella in England are increasing and showing growing antibiotic resistance, according to data published today by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The latest figures reveal there were 2,560 diagnoses last year, rising from 2,052 in 2023 and 2,318 in 2024.

Alarmingly, the two most common strains of Shigella, Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri, have shown resistance to antibiotics. In 2025, 86 per cent of Shigella sonnei and 94 per cent of Shigella flexneri samples which were tested showed resistance.

Shigella is a gut infection spread through bacteria found in faeces and can be passed on during sex, directly or through unwashed hands. It is most commonly spread through sexual contact among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

Symptoms usually appear within one to four days and include diarrhoea, sometimes with blood, stomach cramps and fever and has often been mistaken for food poisoning. The UKHSA said over half of Shigella sonnei cases were “extensively drug-resistant”.

“While most cases of shigella will resolve without treatment, more severe cases do require treatment and the options available are becoming limited,” it said.

Dr Katy Sinka, the UKSHA’s head of STI section, said: “The rise in sexually transmitted Shigella cases is concerning, but the risks of catching it can be reduced by good hygiene during and after sex and condom use, helping to protect yourself and your partners.

“It is important that gay and bisexual men do not dismiss their symptoms and advice on self-care and preventing dehydration can be found on the NHS website by searching ‘dysentery’.

“Those diagnosed with Shigella may also have been exposed to other sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, so a sexual health screen at a clinic or by ordering tests online is recommended.”

The UKHSA also said cases of gonorrhoea and infectious syphilis fell between July and September 2025. Diagnoses of gonorrhoea went from 16,290 in the previous quarter to 15,910 while infectious syphilis fell from 2,090 to 1,860.

However, the UKHSA said there were still growing concerns about antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea. The number of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases more than doubled in 2025, reaching 29 cases compared to 13 the previous year.