Do gay men have bowel issues

UK, remember your settings and improve government services. PHE raising awareness of Shigella infection risk among gay and bisexual men in England. A new campaign to warn gay and bisexual men about the risk of Shigella dysentery is being launched today by Public Health England PHE in partnership with Terrence Higgins Trust THTas new figures show a surge in cases likely to have been sexually-acquired over the past 12 months.

London is most affected. Shigella is a serious gut infection causing severe, prolonged diarrhoea and stomach cramps. Among gay and bisexual men, Shigella is usually passed on through the faecal-oral route during sex, either directly or via unwashed hands - only a tiny amount of bacteria can spread the infection.

Symptoms often develop around 1 to 3 days after sex, including:. Men experiencing Shigella symptoms are advised to visit their GP or a clinic, specifically mentioning Shigella and requesting a stool sample test. The infection is treatable with antibiotics. Risk of infection can be reduced by avoiding oral contact with faeces during sex and washing hands thoroughly and showering after sex.

Interviews with gay and bisexual men who caught the infection through sex found links to high numbers of partners, often met anonymously online or at sex parties. For many, using drugs, such as mephedrone, methamphetamine crystal methketamine and GBL, before or during sex led to lowered inhibitions and riskier sex. Most of the men interviewed had not heard of Shigella before and thought they had food poisoning.

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Getting Shigella was the lowest point in my life. I suffered uncontrollable bloody diarrhoea with severe stomach cramps. The ferocity of symptoms and dehydration headaches made me think I was going to die. Initially I blamed it on a bad curry and held off visiting my GP for a week, but really wish I had gone straight away.

Although it was treatable with antibiotics, the illness cost me a fortune as I had to take 6 weeks off work on statutory sick pay. As part of the awareness campaign, posters and leaflets are being distributed in nightclubs, saunas and other gay venues, plus sexual health clinics, highlighting the symptoms of Shigella, how it is transmitted and how to avoid it.

Shigella is on the rise, so it is vital gay and bisexual men know about it and how to avoid getting it. This is a reminder of how important it is to use a condom when having sex with casual and new partners. Although on paper the number of documented cases of Shigella are quite small, the concern is that not all cases are being reported.

The level of injecting drug use is a particular concern as we know that this puts men at greatly increased risk of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Individuals worried about Shigella or their drug use can find out more on the THT website — including finding a local service to visit for further advice.

Shigella is a severe bacterial gut infection. Infected people can spread the infection to others by direct physical contact or indirectly by contaminating food. Gay and bisexual men are particularly at risk. It is very infectious and can be transmitted through small amounts of faeces getting into the mouth during sex, either directly or via unwashed hands.