Gay Men in San Francisco Face Shigella Outbreak
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif-Shigella sonnei, a member of the shigella bacteria family, is infecting young gay men at an alarming rate. The bacterium is responsible for causing bloody diarrhea and is being transmitted sexually.
Analyzing the data of 230 confirmed cases in the San Francisco area, the average age of those infected was 39. More than 91% were male and 80% were residents of predominantly homosexual neighborhoods.
A random selection of 20 patients showed that 19 of the infections were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, ampicillin, suflisoxazole, and streptomycin. All were responsive to ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, and ceftriaxone. Patients who are infected with shigella are treated with antibiotics and asked to abstain from sexual behavior until they are no longer infectious.
Shigella can cause diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Shigella sonnei is considered Group D of the bacteria family and is responsible for more than two-thirds of shigella infections in the US.
Information from www.sfgate.com, www.cdc.gov
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
