Warning issued over alarming rise in 'super-gonorrhoea' cases

"Doctors have expressed 'huge concern' that super-gonorrhoea has spread widely across England," BBC News reports. Public Health England issued the warning about the rise of a strain of gonorrhoea that has developed resistance to a widely used antibiotic.  What is gonorrhoea? Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae or gonococcus. It used to be known as "the clap". The bacteria are mainly found in discharge from the penis and vaginal fluid. It is easily passed between people through: unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex sharing vibrators or other sex toys that haven't been washed or covered with a new condom each time they're used Typical symptoms of gonorrhoea include a thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating, and bleeding between periods in women. However, around 1 in 10 infected men and almost half of infected women don't experience any symptoms. The infection can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her baby. If you're pregnant and may have gonorrhoea, it's important to get tested and treated before your baby is born. Without treatment, gonorrhoea can cause permanent blindness in a newborn baby.  What is 'super-gonorrhoea'? Super-gonorrhoea is a term used to describe strains of gonorrhoea that have developed a resistance against the antibiotic normally used to treat the infection – azithromycin. There is an alternative antibiotic c...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice Lifestyle/exercise Medication QA articles Source Type: news