Europe also affected by travel-related Shigella outbreak

Several European countries have seen a recent rise in Shigella infections in people who had been to Cape Verde before getting sick.

At the end of November, an increase in the number of people infected with the Shigella Sonnei outbreak strain after returning from Cape Verde was reported.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said country reports show affected travelers stayed in 5-star, all-inclusive hotels in the region of Santa Maria on the islands of Sal or Boa Vista.

Shigellosis cases among travelers to Cape Verde have been observed in Europe since September 2022. Patient interviews from 2025 indicate that a previously implicated resort chain is involved again.

Sick people in Sweden and France
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) previously said 137 confirmed Shigella sonnei patients had been identified since October.

In Sweden, there are 26 cases, of which 23 have been reported since Oct. 24. The median age of those ill is 52 with a range of 14 to 77 years old, and 16 are women.

Most patients stayed at hotels on the islands of Sal (Santa Maria area) or Boa Vista, and contaminated food is the main reported route of transmission. Cases of other gastrointestinal infections, such as salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis, were also detected but no co-infections have been recorded.

In France, 21 people are sick. Ten are female and 11 are male with an age range of 2 to 62. Sixteen reported recent travel to Cape Verde, two had no recent travel abroad and for three cases this information was not available.

The Netherlands reported eight cases in September and October 2025. Five patients are female, two are male, and gender is unknown for the other case. Ireland has one case infected with the outbreak strain. This person went to Cape Verde in mid-January 2025.

Moderate risk
The ECDC said there is a moderate risk of contracting shigellosis for European citizens traveling to Cape Verde.

Infections are primarily caused by a specific Shigella sonnei strain suggesting a common source, or a persistent route of transmission.

In February 2023, ECDC reported more than 250 infections in 10 European countries, the UK and the U.S. since September 2022.

“Multiple modes of transmission are plausible, with the most likely being foodborne, but person-to-person transmission cannot be excluded. This is a recurrent outbreak, where the underlying cause of transmission warrants further investigation so mitigation measures can be put in place to prevent further cases,” said the agency.