Spread of gruesome STD ‘rises sharply’ as experts fail to stop drug-resistant strain
SUPER-GONORRHOEA has been on the rise amid anxieties the sexually transmitted disease is becoming resistant to treatment, health officials have warned.
England's chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies first warned the disease could become untreatable in December last year.
Super-gonorrhoea then reared its ugly head in Leeds in April with cases also noted in the West Midlands, London, and other areas in southern England.
It started among heterosexual couples but has now started spreading among gay couples too.
A Public Health England report states: "The outbreak of HL-AziR gonorrhoea in England persists.
"There have been 17 cases of HL-AziR gonorrhoea reported to date in 2016 compared to 15 cases for the same time period in 2015.
"Between November 2014 and August 2016 there have been a total of 48 confirmed and two probable cases.
"The potential for rapid spread of HL-Azir N. gonorrhoea among high risk sexual networks including MSM is of particular concern."
In a separate statement the PHE said: “Diagnoses of gonorrhoea in England have risen sharply in recent years and we are concerned about the emergence of strains that are resistant to the antibiotic treatment options currently available."
RELATED STORIES
Super-gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammation, serious discomfort, and even infertility.
Symptoms can go undetected in 1 in 10 of men infected and half on infected women.
It can also cause green or yellow discharge to seep out of the genitals.
Natika H Halil, chief executive of sexual health charity FPA, told "There should be a statutory sex and relationships education, which the government has still not implemented, and easy access to sexual health services.
"With ever-shrinking public health budgets and increasing pressure on local authorities to meet people's varied health needs, this is no longer given an dis a cause of real concern.
"PHE's report is a timely reminder, ahead of our Sexual Health Week focusing on STIs next week, how important it is for people to know how to protect themselves.
"It particularly highlights the importance of testing so that cases can be diagnosed early and as well as of partner notification to help limit infections being passed on."
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