Shigellosis — a re-emerging sexually transmitted infection: outbreak in men having sex with men in Berlin

In December 2001, the Robert Koch-Institut (RKI) was informed about a cluster of 10 Shigella sonnei infections in men who have sex with men (MSM), diagnosed in Berlin since September 2001. A retrospective investigation on sexual risk factors for infection in all shigella cases from Berlin from 2001...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of STD & AIDS 2004-08, Vol.15 (8), p.533-537
Main Authors: MARCUS, U, ZUCS, P, BREMER, V, HAMOUDA, O, PRAGER, R, TSCHAEPE, H, FUTH, U, KRAMER, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
AIDS/HIV
Bacterial diseases
Bacterial diseases of the digestive system and abdomen
Biological and medical sciences
Disease Outbreaks
Dysentery, Bacillary - epidemiology
Dysentery, Bacillary - etiology
Dysentery, Bacillary - prevention & control
Epidemiology. Vaccinations
Female
General aspects
Germany - epidemiology
Homosexuality, Male
Human bacterial diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical Records
Medical sciences
Prospective Studies
Retrospective Studies
Risk-Taking
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - etiology
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - prevention & control
Shigella sonnei
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Summary:In December 2001, the Robert Koch-Institut (RKI) was informed about a cluster of 10 Shigella sonnei infections in men who have sex with men (MSM), diagnosed in Berlin since September 2001. A retrospective investigation on sexual risk factors for infection in all shigella cases from Berlin from 2001 was initiated by sending a questionnaire to all patients without known travel history. Simultaneously laboratories were asked to send new shigella isolates from patients to the National Reference Centre at the RKI. Out of 29 responders, 24 self-identified as MSM. Seventeen of these reported sexual contacts as the most likely potential risk of infection. Almost all MSM reported direct or indirect oral–anal sexual contacts in the week before they fell ill. Fifteen of 27 shigella isolates collected during the prospective sampling period showed identical plasmid profiles, PFGE- and resistance patterns and can therefore be regarded as clonally identical. Asymptomatic and/or prolonged shedding in the reconvalescent phase may contribute to the transmission risk of shigella infection during oral–anal sexual practices. Awareness among practitioners and among MSM about the risk of sexual transmission of orally transmitted agents needs to be raised.
ISSN:0956-4624
1758-1052
DOI:10.1258/0956462041558221