The sexually transmitted superbug you’ve probably NEVER heard of – and why it’s worrying doctors
THOUSANDS of women could be left infertile every year from an STI you've probably never heard of, experts have warned.
The nasty bug, spread by people having unsafe sex on holiday, is becoming resistant to antibiotics, making it harder and harder to treat, they said.
One in 100 Brits between 16 and 44 are thought to be infected with mycoplasma genitalium - or MG for short - which can cause infertility and premature birth in pregnant women.
And rates are soaring, experts at the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) warned, adding it's often misdiagnosed as chlamydia.
They said MG could become untreatable within a decade, if action isn't taken now - and it could leave up to 3,000 women a year infertile.
Paddy Horner, spokesman for BASHH called for a new test to detect the bug to be rolled out across the UK, to help doctors crackdown in the wake of spiralling cases.
He said: "MG is treated with antibiotics, but as until recently there has been no commercially available test, it has often been misdiagnosed as chlamydia and treated as such.
"This is not curing the infection and is causing antimicrobial resistance in MG patients.
"If practices do not change, and the tests are not used, MG has the potential to become a superbug within a decade, resistant to standard antibiotics.
"The greatest consequence of this is for the women who present with pelvic inflammatory disease caused by MG, which would be very hard to treat, putting them at increased risk of infertility."
If practices do not change, and the tests are not used, MG has the potential to become a superbug within a decade, resistant to standard antibiotics
Paddy Horner, spokesman for BASHH
Mr Horner said if the government doesn't make funding available for the MG test, it risks a "public health emergency", with the rise of MG as a super STI.
Dr Peter Greenhouse, a sexual health expert from Bristol, echoed the warnings.
He said: "It's already increasingly resistant to most of the antibiotics we use to treat chlamydia.
"And it changes its pattern of resistance during treatment so it's like trying to hit a moving target.
"Until we get funds so we can regularly test for it, we will be in the dark about which women with pelvic inflammatory disease have got it, and about what their true risk of long-term complications are.
"Give us the tools and we'll get on with the job."
MG is dangerous, because like other STIs it doesn't always cause symptoms.
Those who do present with signs may notice a watery discharge from the penis or vagina and burning sensation when peeing.
Women may also notice pain during sex, bleeding after sex, bleeding between periods and pain in their pelvic area.
If left untreated the infection can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease in women, an infection of a woman's reproductive organs that can cause infertility.
WRAP IT UP Oral sex is to blame for dangerous ‘SUPER gonorrhoea’ that’s spreading fast – and could be incurable
The bug has been around since the 1980s but recent studies show that more than one in 100 adults now have it.
And you don't have to go "all the way" to catch it - it can be passed on simply through foreplay.
It is usually diagnosed in a simple pee test or from a swab from the inside of your vagina or penis.
Natika Halil, chief executive of the sexual health charity FPA, told The Sun the bug can multiply quickly as a result of illness or stress, which is when most people notice symptoms.
HOW YOU CAN TELL IF YOU HAVE MYCOPLASMA GENITALIUM
Mycoplasma genitalium doesn't often show symptoms, which means it is possible to have it and not know about it.
If it does show symptoms these are the signs in men:
- watery discharge from the penis
- burning, stinging or pain when you pee
The symptoms in women are:
- discharge from the vagina
- pain during sex
- bleeding after sex
- bleeding between periods
- pain in the pelvic area below the bellybutton
If left untreated it can lead to inflammation of the cervix, urethra in both men and women and pelvic inflammatory disease in women.
"Mycoplasma genitalium are tiny organisms, or bacteria, that can live in the body without causing any symptoms at all," she said.
"A study found that one in 100 UK adults aged 16 to 44 might be infected with the bacteria, which it’s thought may be transmitted sexually.
"Sometimes the bacteria can multiply quickly, possibly as a result of stress or illness, leading to symptoms such as inflammation of the urethra – the tube where urine comes out."
Natika warned that if you think you are at risk of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) - for example if you've recently had unprotected sex - you should always get tested, even before any symptoms start to show.
MORE ON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
"STI tests are nothing to be worried about, they can usually be done quickly and easily," she added.
"If you don’t have any symptoms, you might be able to order a free STI testing kit from your local sexual health service.
"However, if you have any symptoms you should always visit a service in person.
"Many people with STIs don’t have any signs or symptoms at all, so don’t assume you’ll always be able to tell whether someone has an STI.
"To reduce your risk, it’s far better to practice safer sex and use condoms, especially as they’re the only form of contraception that can help prevent you getting or passing on an infection."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368