|
Sexually Transmitted Disease: The Next Superbug?
Reported April 01, 2010
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A sexually transmitted infection may be on its
way to becoming untreatable after showing growing resistance to multiple
antibiotic drugs.
Researchers at the Health Protection Agency in London say some strains of
the bacteria that cause gonorrhea are showing decreased sensitivity to the
current antibiotic treatments ceftriaxone and cefixime.
"There are signs that resistance particularly to cefixime is emerging and
soon these drugs may not be a good choice," Professor Catherine Ison, of
London's Health Protection Agency, was quoted as saying.
"Choosing an effective antibiotic can be a challenge because the organism
that causes gonorrhea is very versatile and develops resistance to
antibiotics very quickly," Ison said.
Gonorrhea is one of the most common bacterial STIs and can lead to pelvic
inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women. The
current treatment consists of a single dose of antibiotic given in the
clinic when prescribed.
Professor Ison says there are only a few new drugs available in the
treatment of gonorrhea and that the single dose treatment may be revised.
Ison said she believes if this problem is not addressed, the infection will
become very difficult to treat.
SOURCE: Society for General Microbiology's spring meeting, March 29,
2010; Edinburgh, U.K. |
