Tripper pathogens develop antibiotic resistance at breakneck speed

Maybe gonorrhea will soon be untreatable
Many experts around the world are worried that antibiotics will soon be unable to cure gonorrhea infections. Researchers have now found out that we probably have much less time left than expected until the gonorrhea pathogens are completely resistant to antibiotics.

The scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Hawaii Department of Health found in an investigation that there are cases of gonorrhea, which have a very high resistance to antibiotics. This could soon lead to complete resistance to antibiotics. The doctors published a press release with the results of their investigation.

Physicians around the world fear so-called ultra-resistant bacterial strains. Recently, there have been increasing cases in the United States where gonorrhea bacteria were resistant to many forms of antibiotics. (Image: CrazyCloud / fotolia.com)

Pathogens are increasingly developing resistance to antibiotics
Gonorrhea may not soon be cured by the use of antibiotics. The so-called Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria develop a strong resistance to the drug azithromycin, as well as a reduced sensitivity to ceftriaxone, warn the experts.

Resistant germs are on the rise
The two drugs are currently used in combination. Thus, experts hope to stop the advance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or at least slow down. Since 2005, there have been four documented isolated cases in which Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria had a reduced susceptibility to both drugs, the researchers explain. But now, for the first time, a group of such cases has occurred in the US. In addition, a multi-drug super germ was detected in the US in July.

Every year, about 800,000 Americans could become infected
"Our last line of defense against gonorrhea is getting weaker," explains Dr. Jonathan Mermin of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the resistance levels continue to increase and spread, the current treatment will eventually fail and have no effect. 800,000 Americans could then become infected each year with an incurable gonorrhea, adds the physician.

The current cases of gonorrhea in the US have been cured
The current gonorrhea cases in Hawaii (six men and one woman) could all be cured, but it just seems to be a matter of time before the first treatment failure occurs, the experts explain. Some time ago, doctors from the UK reported that there was a man infected with a gonorrhea that could not be cured by first treatment with antibiotics. However, after three months of treatment, the infection was successfully overcome, the authors add.

Doctors are looking for new effective forms of antibiotics
If the combination of the two drugs stops working, there is no other effective treatment option, the researchers say. Although several experimental antibiotics are under development, it is likely to take several years before these drugs enter the market. Physicians have been looking for new effective forms of antibiotics for a long time. So only recently identified a previously unknown, the body's own antibiotic. This new antibiotic substance was discovered in the nose. (As)