World Health Organization warns of gonorrhea strain resistant to antibiotics

[FarCenter]

GENEVA - A strain of gonorrhea that is resistant to the disease's only remaining treatment, cephalosporin antibiotics, has officials at the World Health Organization warning doctors around the world to step up their efforts to stop the disease.

The U.N. health agency said Wednesday it is urging governments and doctors to increase their surveillance efforts for the antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection that can cause inflammation, infertility, pregnancy complications and, in extreme cases, lead to maternal death. Babies born to mothers with gonorrhea have a 50 percent chance of developing eye infections that may cause blindness.

"This organism has basically been developing resistance against every medication we've thrown at it," said Dr. Manjula Lusti-Narasimhan, a scientist in the WHO's department of sexually transmitted diseases. This includes a group of antibiotics called cephalosporins that are currently considered the last line of treatment.

"In a couple of years it will have become resistant to every treatment option we have available now," she told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of WHO's public announcement on its `global action plan' to combat the disease.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57448055-10391704/world-health-organization-warns-of-gonorrhea-strain-resistant-to-antibiotics/

The end of non-monogamous sex.

[HopeHoops]

1. So THAT'S why it hurts when I pee!

Just kidding.

Things like this really make me wonder if it's biological warfare, mutation, or clinical incompetence. Countries are experimenting with all kinds of drug resistant diseases (like flu for example). It can safely be argued that it is for the purpose of research to find a way to combat such a thing if it arises, but it can also be argued that there are insidious purposes or lax management in the handling of such pathogens. Mutation might be the actual answer, but I wouldn't put money on it.

The only "global action plan" I can think of for this is free condoms EVERYWHERE. I've been telling my daughters since before they even had boyfriends, "PUT A RUBBER ON IT!" That's good advice on many levels.

[FarCenter]

4. Apparently gonorrhea is a lot easier to catch than HIV, and condoms are less effective

Condoms reduce the chances of gohorrhea transmission, but I haven't been able to find a quantitative answer as to how much.

Condom Use and Risk of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia: A Systematic Review of Design and Measurement Factors Assessed in Epidemiologic Studies

http://www.region8ipp.com/Docs/Articles/warner_condoms_methods_sti06.pdf

Condom effectiveness against different STIs also could vary because of differences in the risk of transmission per sexual contact. The probability of acquiring infection from a single sexual act depends both on the population prevalence of infection and infectivity of the STI. Although not well-determined for most STIs, estimates of transmission risk per unprotected sex act with an infected partner are approximately 0.001 for HIV, 0.20 to 0.50 for gonorrhea, 0.45 for chlamydia,34 and 0.70 for chancroid.

[HopeHoops]

5. I had to go look up chancroid. I'm not sure I've ever heard of it before but it sounds gross.

I'm not aware of any agreement on how much condoms protect against it either, but it has to be better than nothing. I've had them break, but not often and they aren't the most effective protection against pregnancy. It's still a good idea to use one, especially with a new or unfaithful partner.

[taught_me_patience]

2. Condoms

Imagine having incurable gonorrhea... it'll burn every time you piss for the rest of your life!

[okieinpain]

3. been married for 33 years. she ever gets tired of me,

im getting a blowup doll or a palin which ever is cheapest.

[badtoworse]

6. Didn't they used to call that Bulldog Clap?

Or is this worse?