Preliminary Study of Shigella Cases Co-infection with HIV, Taipei, Taiwan, January to August, 2015

Preliminary Study of Shigella Cases Co-infection with HIV, Taipei, Taiwan, January to August, 2015

From January to August, 2015, 20 Shigella infections were reported to the Taipei Regional Center of Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, while the average annual reported cases of shigellosis were 4.7 cases from 2012 to 2014. Epidemiologic investigation revealed that 15 of the 20 Shigella cases were 24-46 years old male, more likely with history of men who have sex with men (MSM) and co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or other sexual transmitted diseases. According to the above information and previous research, we assume that the 15 Shigella infections were caused by unsafe sexual behavior (e.g., oral-anal sex with no protective barriers). In order to avoid further Shigella infections in people living with HIV, we suggest: (1) implementing different interventions among HIV/AIDS, MSM and STD groups, (2) increasing clinicians' awareness, (3) changing the modes and tools of epidemic investigation, and (4) strengthening public health staff's awareness of different diseases.