After confirmation of 3 cases (one in each of Japan, Spain, and France) of all antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea, World Health Organization (WHO) warns us “as a very serious situation”.
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease, caused by diplococci Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It usually affects genitals, rectum, and throat (mostly due to oral sex). Untreated gonorrhea may lead to PID (pelvic inflammatory disease, a quite common problem in female), ectopic pregnancy, infertility, urethral stricture (mainly men) etc.
So far this superbug was susceptible to available antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and Extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESCs). Sadly, all 3 antibiotics failed to kill this newly emerged strain of gonorrhea bacteria in 3 confirmed cases found in 3 different countries (mentioned earlier).
According to WHO, each year around 78 million people are affected with gonorrhea. WHO also running program to monitor the drug resistance trends of gonorrhea. A study which was conducted from 2009 till 2014 showed that there was already widespread resistance to the first line antibiotics (ciprofloxacin), increasing resistance to another noble antibiotic (azithromycin) and emergence resistance to the last resort of treatment (ESCs). Surprisingly, in around 50 countries, it is reported that gonorrhea is already resistance to them.
Recently two studies on gonorrhea have been published in the journal PLOS Medicine. Dr. Teodora Wi, a human reproduction specialist, commented on the studies that one has documented 3 cases of gonorrhea strains which are resistant to all known antibiotics. She also said, “Gonorrhea is a very smart bug. Every time you introduce a new type of antibiotics to treat it, this bug develops resistance to it.”
This is really an alarming and dangerous situation for doctors, patients, and other healthcare providers. New types of antibiotics are necessary to fight against this superbug. Awareness to prevent spreading this superbug is essential too!
