Shigella

Shigella is a bacteria that makes you sick to your stomach. It’s mostly found in contaminated water or food but it also passes down into poop. That means that if you like to lick or eat ass, it can reach you that way too. In Ontario in 2023, there were some reported cases of drug-resistant shigella among men who have sex with men.

How it spreads:

• Eating or drinking things contaminated with shigella
• Touching surfaces with shigella, then touching your mouth
• Sex, especially “rimming” (mouth-to-anus contact) or other activities where poop or body fluids might touch your mouth

Like most bacteria, you don’t need to contact much of it to get sick. Just a tiny bit can cause big problems.

Symptoms to Watch For

Most people get sick 1–3 days after contacting shigella. Sometimes it takes as little as 12 hours or as long as a week.

Common signs:

• Diarrhea (watery or bloody; might have mucus)
• Stomach cramps (pain in your belly)
• Tenesmus (“poop emergency”—you feel like you must go even when there’s nothing to pass)
• Fever and feeling tired
• Nausea and vomiting

If you see any of these, pay close attention and consult a doctor or nurse.

How Is It Treated?

Most people get better on their own. The main “treatment” is to rest, and stay hydrated with water or electrolytes like in gatorade or sports drinks.

Doctors give antibiotics only if you have a weak immune system or if your case is very bad. Because some strains of shigella are drug-resistant, antibiotics might not work for everyone.

How Can You Stay Safe?

Shigella can be easy to pass on during sex if poop gets near your mouth. Here’s what you can do:

• Clean and wash your hands, well with soap and water, before and after sex. Gargle water or mouthwash and spit (don’t brush as it can irritate the gums), and rinse your holes.
• Pause to wash if you touch poop during playing in the butt (with or without a condom)
• Use condoms or dental dams for oral-anal contact, and change them between partners.
• Clean sex toys after using them: wash with hot, soapy water or a disinfectant toy cleaner.

When to See a Doctor

• If you have diarrhea that lasts more than a few days
• If your diarrhea has a lot of blood
• If you feel very weak or can’t keep fluids down

While you’re sick, avoid:

• Cooking or serving food for others
• Sex (any kind)
• Swimming pools or hot tubs
• Bathhouses or sex venues

Who Gets Shigella?

Anyone can catch shigella. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and it doesn’t mean you’re dirty! But it’s more common in:

• Young children
• People who travel where the drinking water supply isn’t clean
• People with weak immune systems (like untreated HIV)
• During outbreaks among men who have sex with men, or sometimes folks who live outside in the streets

In Ontario, cases of drug-resistant shigella were mostly found in gay, bi, queer, and other men who have sex with men.

Where to Learn More

Toronto Public Health

Public Health Ontario

CDC (USA)

We’ll update this page as new information comes in. Stay safe and take care of each other!