ECDC publishes rapid risk assessment on S. sonnei infections among MSM in the EU, EEA and UK

On 23 February 2022, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) published a rapid risk assessment, following an increase in extensively-drug resistant Shigella sonnei (S. sonnei) infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the EU, EEA and UK.

On 27 January 2022, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported an increase in extensively-drug resistant S. sonnei infections. Since then, nine other European countries have reported cases of shigellosis with sampling dates from 2020 to 2022, and with isolates either closely genetically related by whole genome sequencing (WGS), or with the same, or a very similar resistance profile. Most cases were in MSM, and a large proportion of the patients with available information were reported to be infected through sexual transmission.

Source: ECDC, 23 February 2022