Are enteric infections sexually transmitted in British Columbia?

Abstract

Background Enteric infections may on occasion be sexually transmitted, particularly among people who engage in oral-anal sexual contact. Although outbreaks of enteric infections have been reported among men who have sex with men (MSM) in British Columbia (BC), the epidemiology of sexually transmitted enteric infections has never been assessed. Objective To describe the epidemiology of enteric infections in BC to determine if sexual transmission may be occurring. Methods A descriptive analysis was conducted of all reported cases of shigellosis, amebiasis and giardiasis in BC for the period 2003-2012. Results For shigellosis and amebiasis, there was a high male-to-female ratio and a higher rate of infection in males aged 20-59 years as compared to all other age-sex groups. Additionally, for shigellosis, adult males were significantly more likely than females to acquire disease locally (RR 1.9; CI 1.7--.4). Conclusion Analysis suggests that sexual transmission of enteric infections, particularly shigellosis and amebiasis, may be occurring in MSM in BC. Further studies are indicated.