​Cases of Shigella sonnei infections are on the rise in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in an official report last week. What's a big concern is that the pathogen in circulation is 'extensively antibiotic-resistant', the agency has said. "Since the beginning of 2023, the number of extensively antibiotic-resistant Shigella cases has increased by 53%. Much of this increase has been driven by a cluster of extensively-antibiotic resistant Shigella sonnei, of which there have been 97 cases in 2023 (up to and including November), compared to just 4 cases last year," it has said in an official report available on the website and has added that the cases are rising mainly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).​