FIVE cases of an extra super drug-resistant gonorrhoea have been detected in England, according to a new Government report. The newer strain has proven resistant to even more antibiotics than its predecessor, super-gonorrhoea , raising fears that the infection could one day become completely "untreatable." While the STI is not a killer, it can cause long-term health problems if not treated such as pelvic inflammatory disease , infertility and ectopic pregnancies .
The first case of super-gonorrhoea in England was detected in 2016 and since then cases have been on the rise - with 31 reported in total. The strain is resistant to the primary antibiotic, ceftriaxone , forcing doctors to rely on the backup medicine azithromycin. The newer 'extensively drug-resistant' strain was detected in five people between June 2022 and May 2023, according to an early pre-print study from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Read more on gonorrhoea This strain is not only resistant to ceftriaxone but also the second-line antibiotic, making it even more alarming, according to experts. All cases were found in "heterosexual individuals, mostly in their 20s, and most acquired the infection abroad”, the study added. Dr Helen Fifer, Consultant Microbiologist at UKHSA, said: "Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, risking the possibility of it becoming untreatable in the future.
" Professor Matt Phillips, President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said th.