Traditional treatments for the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea are increasingly less effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Two drugs are typically recommended for treatment: azithromycin, which is taken orally, and a single ceftriaxone shot. But the CDC’s report released Friday suggests gonorrhea is becoming resistant to azithromycin. The STD, which is one of the most common in the U.S., is already resistant to treatments including penicillin, tetracycline and fluoroquinolones. The new data indicate that the percentage of bacteria fighting against azithromycin more than quadrupled between 2013 and 2014 — which means gonorrhea is in the early stages of resisting the antibiotic.
“The confluence of emerging drug resistance and very limited alternative options for treatment creates a perfect storm for future gonorrhea treatment failure in the U.S.,” Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, said in a news release.
“It is unclear how long the combination therapy of azithromycin and ceftriaxone will be effective if the increases in resistance persist,” Dr. Gail Bolan, director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, added in the same news release. “We need to push forward on multiple fronts to ensure we can continue offering successful treatment to those who need it.”
The CDC is working with state and local health departments and community partner organizations to improve STD prevention services.
The agency estimates that 820,000 new gonorrheal infections occur in the U.S. each year. The disease causes infections in the genitals, rectum and throat, and it’s transmitted via vaginal, anal and oral sex. If left untreated, it can cause serious health problems, ranging from pelvic inflammatory disease to infertility.
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Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Is on the Rise, CDC Says originally appeared on usnews.com
