World's First Case of Super-Strength Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhoea Reported in UK

A man in the United Kingdon has been reported as suffering from world's first case of super-strength gonorrhoea. The strand of gonorrhoea is known to be resistant to antibiotic treatment. Public Health England (PHE) reported that the patient was in a monogamous relationship, but had contracted the illness from a woman from south-east Asia. He had sought out treatment for the disease in early 2018. Fortunately, the man's partner tested negative for the illness.

The doctors treating the man reported that he has failed to respond to the recommended treatment -- a combination of antibiotics azithromycin and ceftriaxone. Dr Gwenda Hughes, the head of the STI section at PHE told The Guardian that it was the first time a case has displayed such a high-level resistance to both the drugs. The incident has prompted health officials to track the man's sexual partners to curb the spread of the disease. Hughes told The Guardian: "PHE actively monitors, and acts on, the spread of antibiotic resistance in gonorrhoea and potential treatment failures, and has introduced enhanced surveillance to identify and manage resistant strains of infection promptly to help reduce further spread.”

What is gonorrhoea?

Neisseria gonorrhoeae or gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacteria N. gonorrhoea. It spreads through sexual contact that includes vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse and giving and receiving oral sex. The bacteria can enter a person system merely by coming in contact with the penis, vagina, mouth and anus of the infected person. Since the bacteria die within seconds outside the body, the chances of getting infected through toilet seats or clothes are slim. However, a pregnant woman can pass on gonorrhoea to her child during childbirth.

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms in men include difficulty in passing urine and discharge from the urethra. In women, the most common site of the infection is the uterine cervix. Symptoms such as vaginal discharge, lower abdominal discomfort and pain during intercourse are seen in females.

Who is at risk for gonorrhoea?

Any sexually active person who has unprotected sex can contract gonorrhoea. Irrespective of a person's sexuality, he or she should get checked for gonorrhoea every year. Sexually active women who are younger than 25 years of age and older women with multiple sex partners are at risk of contracting the infection.

Can it be cured?

Yes, gonorrhoea can be cured if the person seeks timely treatment. Although the treatment can cure gonorrhoea, it cannot undo some of the damage done by the disease.

What if gonorrhoea is not treated?

If left untreated, gonorrhoea can pose some serious and permanent health problems in women and men. Women may suffer from pelvic inflammatory disease that could cause ectopic pregnancies, long-term abdominal pain, the formation of scar tissues in the fallopian tubes and even infertility.

Globally, gonorrhoea is posing a problem for healthcare professionals since the bacteria is capable of rapidly developing resistance to multiple antibiotic classes. Over time, the bacteria have become less susceptible to numerous antibiotics, including sulfonamides, penicillins, tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones. There have cases of the bacteria developing resistance to cephalosporins, the current first-line treatment for gonorrhoea.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2018 11:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).