Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · 3d

I am very pleased to announce that I have started a new role as a Lecturer in Biological Sciences (Microbiology) at Kingston University ( @kingstonuniversity.bsky.social ). I am really looking forward to sharing my expertise and knowledge in infection, immunity, bioinformatics, and microbiology!

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Aug 28

How should #XDR #shigellosis cases be treated? Our new education piece at #BMJ #SexuallyTransmittedInfections explores specific empirical treatment. Our recommendations are subsequent to our microbial genomic, phenotypic #AMR, and clinical/pharmacological analyses. sti.bmj.com/content/earl... 🧫💻🛟🧪🧬🦠

Antimicrobial treatment options for extensively drug-resistant (XDR) shigellosis in men who have sex with men

The sexual transmission of Shigella s onnei and Shigella flexneri has been observed since the 1970s between men who have sex with men (MSM) associated with living with HIV, sexually transmitted infect...

sti.bmj.com

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Aug 16

My current Postdoctoral Research position is due to end on 30th September 2025.

I am keen to continue working in infectious disease research, data-driven epidemiology, and teaching in academia, public health, and/or industry.

If you know of any opportunities, please do let me know - thank you!

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Kate Baker @ksbakes.bsky.social · Aug 7

I hope all my fellow #shigellaphiles have 20 - 24 April 2026 blocked out in their diaries for @shigellameeting.bsky.social next year in Paris! In the meantime, check out (and join) our starter pack to start community building now 🧫

The Shigella Meeting @shigellameeting.bsky.social · Aug 7

Why not follow our @shigellameeting.bsky.social starterpack of people who are speaking at and attending the conference - please message to be added to the starter pack if you're planning on coming or we haven't found you yet! go.bsky.app/6Vbwhjc

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

The Shigella Meeting @shigellameeting.bsky.social · Aug 7

Why not follow our @shigellameeting.bsky.social starterpack of people who are speaking at and attending the conference - please message to be added to the starter pack if you're planning on coming or we haven't found you yet! go.bsky.app/6Vbwhjc

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Kate Baker @ksbakes.bsky.social · Jul 27

There are half a million cases of invasive non-Typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) every year and while you might know S. Typhimurim and Enteritidis, you may not have heard of S. Panama 💩 🩸 🧫 💊 Check out our latest in @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.la... and the 🧵 below to find out more 1/n

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Willem van Schaik @wvschaik.bsky.social · Jul 20

'The University of Birmingham is one of the UK research institutions to each receive £4.35 million of funding from the Global Talent Fund – a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) resource supporting the movement of global academic talent'

www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/un...

University of Birmingham chosen among elite UK research funding recipients - University of Birmingham

Birmingham is one of 12 UK research institutions to share £54 million of funding from the Global Talent Fund.

www.birmingham.ac.uk

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social · Jun 9

🆕 The UK becomes one of the first countries in the world to issue national evidence-based doxyPEP guidelines. This is a step forward in targeted STI prevention and addressing the continuing rise in syphilis cases in the UK.
🔗 www.bashh.org/news/1686/ba...

DoxyPEP is now available for gay and bisexual men and transgender women at risk of getting syphilis.

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Jul 4

Hi Ferric, many thanks for your reply to this post alongside the publication. I was just wondering, which antibiotic treatment was used to target the outbreak strain? In UK GBMSM-associated isolates we have seen >30% triple-resistance to CIP, AZM, and Ceftriaxone.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Using demographics of patients to inform treatment of shigellosis in England

Shigellosis, caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella, is a diarrhoeal disease transmitted by the faecal–oral route.1 Rapid increases in the prevalence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Shigella iso...

www.thelancet.com

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Jul 4

Hi Marco, very interesting work regarding Shigella flexneri survival of environmental stresses within/outside of host cells. Will definitely be awaiting any further publications from yourself / your group regarding this, I always have an appetite to learn more about Shigella species biology!

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Marco Coluccia @marco-coluccia.bsky.social · Jun 26

First post on Bluesky and first time at #EMBL in #Heidelberg. I am happy to present my poster on #Shigella at #EESMicrobiology!

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Charlotte Houldcroft @virologyhouldcroft.bsky.social · Jul 4

Ipswich looking glorious in the sun. Brilliant 48h with the @pducambridge.bsky.social solving the pressing questions in infectious diseases, competing in penalty shoot outs and cooking up a storm #PDURetreat

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Pathogen Dynamics Unit @pducambridge.bsky.social · May 23

Check out the latest from the lab on Sexually Transmissible shigellosis where @lewiscemason.bsky.social and co unpick why this relatively obscure disease re-emerged endemically in the 21st Century 🔬 🧫 🕵️ 🧬

Kate Baker @ksbakes.bsky.social · May 23

Sexually transmissible shigellosis has gone from an obscure cause of sporadic outbreaks to a sustained endemic AMR priority in only two decades! 🧫💊 Check out our latest preprint to understand how this happened 1/11
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

The natural history of the emergence of sexually transmissible shigellosis

Shigellosis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by bacteria belonging to one of four species of Shigella . Sexually transmissible shigellosis was first reported in 1974, but recently there has been a...

www.medrxiv.org

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Kate Baker @ksbakes.bsky.social · May 23

Sexually transmissible shigellosis has gone from an obscure cause of sporadic outbreaks to a sustained endemic AMR priority in only two decades! 🧫💊 Check out our latest preprint to understand how this happened 1/11
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

The natural history of the emergence of sexually transmissible shigellosis

Shigellosis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by bacteria belonging to one of four species of Shigella . Sexually transmissible shigellosis was first reported in 1974, but recently there has been a...

www.medrxiv.org

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Reposted by Lewis C. E. Mason

Serge Mostowy @sergemostowylab.bsky.social · Apr 24

New role for macrophages in Shigella infection control
@cgmargarida.bsky.social @lshtm.bsky.social @cp-cellreports.bsky.social

www.cell.com/cell-reports...

Shigella-trained pro-inflammatory macrophages protect zebrafish from secondary infection

Trained immunity enhances host innate defenses against secondary infections. Gomes et al. innovate zebrafish infection models to investigate Shigella-induced training, demonstrating that Shigella epig...

www.cell.com

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · May 6

Why did sexually transmissible shigellosis outbreak reporting re-emerge in the early 2000s? Below, our preprint explores the genomic epidemiology and temporal dating of Shigella sonnei from two early outbreaks in London & Berlin. 🛟🧪🧬🖥️🦠💉🧫😷https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.25326874v1

The natural history of the emergence of sexually transmissible shigellosis

Shigellosis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by bacteria belonging to one of four species of Shigella . Sexually transmissible shigellosis was first reported in 1974, but recently there has been a...

www.medrxiv.org

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Jan 21

Antimicrobial resistant Shigella spp. continue to transmit internationally. Our commentary in Lancet Microbe explores combining patient demographics and bacterial genomics to inform antimicrobial treatment. 🛟🧪🧬🖥️🦠💉🧫😷https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(24)00294-5/fulltext

Using demographics of patients to inform treatment of shigellosis in England

Shigellosis, caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella, is a diarrhoeal disease transmitted by the faecal–oral route.1 Rapid increases in the prevalence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Shigella iso...

www.thelancet.com

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Aug 4

Thank you Nikki!

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Aug 4

We are pleased to announce that our work investigating the genomics and patient demographics of re-emerging MDR Shigella flexneri 3a in England has been accepted in Nature Antimicrobials and Resistance, and is available to view Open-Access. 🛟🧪🧬🖥️🦠💉🧫😷

doi.org/10.1038/s442...

The re-emergence of sexually transmissible multidrug resistant Shigella flexneri 3a, England, United Kingdom - npj Antimicrobials and Resistance

npj Antimicrobials and Resistance - The re-emergence of sexually transmissible multidrug resistant Shigella flexneri 3a, England, United Kingdom

doi.org

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Mar 26

Congratulations Olav!

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Lewis C. E. Mason @lewiscemason.bsky.social · Feb 2

Between 2009-2014, an epidemic of sexually transmissible Shigella flexneri 3a occurred in England that subsequently declined. However, from 2018-2021, S. flexneri 3a re-emerged. We explored possible drivers of the re-emergence by comparing host demographic features and pathogen genomics. 🛟🧪🧬🖥️🦠💉🧫😷

The re-emergence of sexually transmissible multidrug resistant Shigella flexneri 3a, England, United...

Shigellosis is an enteric infection that transmits through the faecal-oral route, which can occur during sex between men who have sex with men (MSM). Between 2009 and 2014, an epidemic of sexually tra...

www.researchsquare.com