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The UK government has announced that a new case of ‘super-gonorrhoea’ has been found in London – as well as another two cases recorded in the Midlands.
The strain of gonorrhoea is resistant to ceftriaxon, the main drug that’s used to treat the sexually transmitted disease here in the UK.
A woman in her 20s in London is said to have contracted the strain, following a man in his early 20s who also caught the infection in London in November last year.
Dr Katy Sinka, STI Section Head at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said:
‘It is too soon to say whether this will be the start of a longer-term trend, but we do know that STIs are on the rise in general.
‘Getting an STI isn’t as simple as taking some medicine and moving on with your life – if not properly treated, they can have long term impacts on your and your partner’s health.
‘Adding antibiotic resistance into the mix makes the impact on your life even greater.
‘There are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of gonorrhoea and other STIs. Use condoms consistently and correctly with all new or casual partners, test regularly for STIs and if you have any symptoms such as unusual discharge, don’t have sex until you are tested.’
Gonorrhoea is the second most common bacterial STI in the UK after chlamydia and is caused by bacteria found in vaginal fluid or penis discharge. It can infect the entrance to the cervix, the urethra, the rectum, the throat and the eyes. Although it can be severely painful or result in bleeding, people who are infected will often show any symptoms at all.
STI testing is free on the NHS and through Sexual Health London. Find out more here.