Super-pathogen First resistant gonorrhea is no longer to cure with antibiotic drugs

Multi-resistant gonorrhea infection detected

At the beginning of the year, a gonorrhea infection was diagnosed in the United Kingdom with a so-called super-pathogen. The Dangerous: All currently available antibiotic drugs do not seem to address. It threatens life-threatening organ damage to the heart and brain.

• British infected with gonorrhea in Asia.
• Disease does not respond to common forms of treatment.
• This case of gonorrhea seems to be resistant to all antibiotics.
• Partner of the patient was not infected.
• General practitioners need to be more effective in diagnosing gonorrhea.
• In sexual contact with strangers, people should always protect themselves.

Public Health England scientists reported in a recent statement about a British man who had been infected with the sexual infection of gonorrhea while on vacation and had been infected with a non-antibiotic agent.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a major medical problem, but researchers have now discovered a potential new source of treatment for such infections. (Image: jarun011 / fotolia.com)

Briton was infected with gonorrhea in Southeast Asia

During his journey through Southeast Asia, the Briton was infected with the pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The man was in sexual contact with a woman in Asia, where he was infected with the so-called gonorrhea. One month later, the first symptoms appeared. Sexual diseases, such as gonorrhea, are unfortunately quite widespread, warn the doctors.

So far worst case of gonorrhea?

The disease was diagnosed by doctors in the UK and the experts were initially unconcerned because gonorrhea is usually easy to treat with antibiotics. Gonorrhea is treated with a combination of antibiotics (azithromycin and ceftriaxone), but in this case, such treatment was unsuccessful, reports Public Health England. From this the experts concluded that it had to be a particularly resistant case of gonorrhea. According to the researchers, this case is for the first time a gonorrhea that can not be treated with antibiotics.

Partner did not seem to be infected

Of course, finding the disease in the UK meant that people were afraid of spreading the virus - not least because the infected man had a steady partner in his homeland. According to previously known information, the woman is not infected. Nevertheless, there are still ongoing studies which deal more specifically with possible transmissions.

No further treatment options?

The ill man is currently being treated with a last dose of antibiotics. If this medication does not work, there is no other way to treat it, explain the doctors. This would mean that the patient can not be helped and at worst threaten life-threatening complications such as inflammation of the meninges or the heart. Thus, in diseases caused by gonorrhea, there appear to be cases that are untreatable by conventional antibiotics, and the causative multidrug-resistant bacterial strains could pose a major threat to humanity, the researchers warn.

Gonorrhea can lead to infertility

The risk is particularly high because gonorrhea is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. This disease is transmitted during sexual contact from person to person. The pathogens of the disease - so-called gonococci (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) - then affect the mucous membranes of the urinary tract and the genital organs. Especially bad with such a disease is that many people are unaware of their illness. This is because complaints that occur in patients are not always noticed. Thus, sufferers pass on the disease unnoticed to their sexual partners. Failure to diagnose and treat the disease may result in infertility, abdominal inflammation and other complications.

Some doctors have problems diagnosing gonorrhea

Another problem with gonorrhea is that even some general practitioners do not recognize the disease clearly. So it may happen that the disease - despite doctor's visit - is not treated. The awareness of medical professionals for an improved diagnosis of the disease must be sharpened, say the experts. Only then can appropriate investigations and treatments for the disease be initiated. The key is to recognize this disease early, to prevent it from spreading further.

So far no remedies against the germs struck. (Image: royaltystockphoto / fotolia.com)

People should protect themselves better

In order to avoid the unpleasant disease, people should protect themselves from sexual contact. After an unprotected contact sufferers should necessarily be examined and up to this investigation, sexual contact should be avoided, advise the doctors. The infected man in the UK is currently on various medications and next month it will be clear if this treatment was successful. In the meantime, a team of experts has been set up to coordinate the investigation and limit the potential spread of the disease.

What should be done with gonorrhea??

This is the first time that a case of such high resistance to the two common drugs and to most of the other common antibiotics shows, the researchers explain. UK health services recommend that GPs should, as a precautionary measure, refer any suspected cases of gonorrhea to the National Health Services so that the illness can be adequately treated. When people are affected by the condition, they should be carefully monitored. In addition, the partner of the patient should be notified, the experts demand. (As)