Shigellosis

How do you get Shigella?

You can get Shigella if the bacteria get into your mouth. The bacteria can get into your mouth during: 

• Butt licking (rimming)
• Anal fingering
• Anal sex (fucking)
• Sharing sex toys
• Fisting
• Group sex

Sometimes you can also get shigella from food that contains the bacteria. If someone with shigella has not washed their hands, the bacteria can get into the food they have made. Water (for example, in a Jacuzzi) can also become contaminated with shigella.

What are the symptoms of shigellosis?

Did you get heavy diarrhea 1-3 days after sex? It could be shigellosis. Often, the symptoms stop after 5 to 10 days. But they can also stay for longer than that.

You could get the following symptoms:

• Diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
• Fever
• Stomach cramps

Other symptoms?

Do you have other symptoms? They could be caused by something else. So it’s important to go to your GP or to the GGD. Don’t wait too long and make an appointment.

Check out the symptoms of other STDs

Treating shigellosis

For Shigella, you don't usually get medication. It will go away on its own if you drink enough and take rest. Are you very sick? Then your doctor will give you medicine.

Do not take diarrhea inhibitors if you have Shigella! This keeps the bacteria in your body longer. And it can give you other symptoms. 

Read more about diarrhea on thuisarts.nl (Dutch)

When do you visit your doctor with shigellosis?

Many shigella infections produce no symptoms. Or they produce few symptoms, which pass after a few days. The family doctor does not treat a shigella infection without serious symptoms. Also, if you have had sex with someone with shigella, but you have no symptoms, your family doctor will not test you for shigella or prescribe medication. Have you had sex with someone proven to have shigella and have the symptoms below? If so, tell your doctor!

Contact your family doctor:

• if you have severe water-thin diarrhea for more than 3 days (poop as thin as water at least 6 times a day)
• if there is blood or mucus in your poop
• if the diarrhea does not subside after a week or if you keep vomiting
• if you have severe abdominal pain that does not subside
• in case of dehydration. You may notice this by:
  - Being very thirsty
  - Not having urinated for more than 1 day
  - Feeling drowsy
  - Feeling confused
  - (Feeling) like you are fainting
• Tell your doctor you are thinking about Shigella or having sex with men. 

Note!

The GGD does not test for shigella so will refer you to your GP. 

Multi-resistant Shigella

A shigella infection can be cured with antibiotics. But increasingly, shigella is being found that can withstand different types of antibiotics. This multi-resistant shigella also heals on its own.

Do you have many symptoms of a shigella infection that cannot be cured with antibiotics? Discuss with your doctor how to reduce the symptoms. 

Preventing Shigella

You can pass on Shigella to others for about 4 weeks after your symptoms. Here's what you can do so you don't get or pass on Shigella:

• Wash your hands after you defecate and before you eat
• Wash your hands before and after sex
• Do not have sex if you have diarrhea or if your sex partner has diarrhea
• When butt licking: cut open a condom and put it on someone's anus before licking
• Shower before having sex
• Are you using sex toys? Don't share them with others. Or clean them well before sharing them
• Do you have sex in a group? Then after anal sex, wash your penis with soap and water before putting it in someone's mouth. Better yet, use a condom while fucking
• Want to rim someone? Ask if they've had diarrhea in the past week. Then it's better not to rim (butt licking).
• Have you had shigella yourself with symptoms? Wait at least 1 week with anal sex after your symptoms are over. Also don't go to a (gay) sauna during that time, because you can contaminate bath water. Sometimes shigella remains contagious longer. In 1 in 5 people, it can still be contagious 4 weeks after symptoms are over. If you don't get rimmed, you reduce your chances of passing on shigella.

Do you have shigella and work with food or in healthcare? If so, do not return to work until you are sure it is over. Someone from the GGD will contact you about this.