Is gonorrhea on the way to becoming a disease from which there is no cure? This is feared by the World Health Organization (WHO) which, in an interview with the British daily The Sun, reports that the western world is seeing cases of treatment-resistant gonorrhea (dubbed super gonorrhea) increasing at an alarming rate. And WHO doctors believe that this sexually transmitted infection could become even more resistant to antibiotics, as their overuse during the pandemic fuels its mutation.
A “smart” bacterium that mutates rapidly
Gonorrhea is transmitted by bacteriathe gonococcus Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The problem: the latter is capable of developing resistance to antibiotics very quickly. “The bacterium responsible for gonorrhea is particularly clever. Indeed, each time we use a new class of antibiotics to treat the infection, the bacterium evolves to resist it”explains Dr Teodora Wi, a physician in the reproductive health department at WHO.
Hence the fear of the world organization in the face of the significant use of azithromycin in the treatment of Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic. “This situation may fuel the emergence of new antibiotic resistance in gonorrhea,” said the WHO spokesperson. Treatment-resistant super gonorrhea can lead to a five-fold increase in HIV transmission and eye infections that can lead to blindness.
What is antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic resistance emerges when antibiotics are misused: unsuitable antibiotics, wrong dosage, stopping treatment too early or overconsumption. This overconsumption caused by the coronavirus which makes doctors fear that all strains of gonococci will become insensitive to antibiotics, in which case the medical world would no longer have any effective treatment against this infection.
Towards a resurgence of bacterial diseases?
Antibiotic resistance is a major public health problem. For several decades, diseases such as urinary tract infections or pneumonia have become almost benign and the risks associated with surgical procedures have been considerably reduced, all thanks to the use of effective antibiotics. But if the bacteria strengthen their resistance, these diseases could again become dangerous or even fatal for some, and the number of infections following operations could be increased.
To counter the emergence of resistance, each of us can act. Even if the slogan is on everyone’s mind, it is worth remembering that antibiotics are not automatic (especially in case of flu, cold or any other viral infection). Respect the prescribed doses and the duration of treatment, even if the symptoms disappear before the end of the strip.
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- Antibiotic resistance kills 23,000 people a year in the United States
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- Soon a vaccine against gonorrhea?
