Drug-resistant gonorrhoea

You may have heard in the media about new types of gonorrhoea that are ‘drug resistant’. Gonorrhoea is changing and the antibiotics used to treat it are getting less effective. The important thing to know that in the UK gonorrhoea can still be cured by antibiotics. Some experts believe that within a few years treating gonorrhoea will be difficult or no longer possible around the world, including in the UK.

Background

Bacteria (like gonorrhoea) can be killed by antibiotics but often they grow resistant to these drugs. With gonorrhoea this has happened many times over past decades. One type of antibiotic gradually stops being effective and a new antibiotic takes its place, until the bacteria develops resistance to it too, and a new drug is needed, and so it goes on.

Unfortunately there are no new types of antibiotic against gonorrhoea on the horizon. Unless new ones are created (and none are in the pipeline) we will have no effective treatments once the current antibiotics stop working.

What this means if you get gonorrhoea

In some parts of the world there are already types of gonorrhoea that are resistant to the antibiotics we have to fight it. These will carry on spreading. In the UK the antibiotics we use against gonorrhoea are losing some of their power to kill the infection. As a result clinics now give higher doses. Because the dose must be higher a pill is not enough and the drug must now be given as an injection into the buttock. A second, different antibiotic is given as a tablet to increase the chance that treatment works.

Because of the possibility of drug resistant gonorrhoea clinics now call you back to test that your treatment has worked (until recently they would often give one pill and not ask you to return to the clinic).

Gonorrhoea symptoms are not changing, and for the moment current treatment will cure it. But as time goes on the dose will probably need to keep getting bigger until we reach the point where even a very high dose might not kill the bacteria.

How can I protect myself against gonorrhoea?

The options below help cut your risk of getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhoea:

Having fewer sexual partners.

The more people you have sex with, the more likely you are to get an STI including gonorrhoea. Although you could get an infection from anyone anywhere, this is more likely with people who have lots of sexual partners.

Using condoms.

Condoms offer a degree of protection against the spread of STIs. But as infections are easily spread through oral sex and other sexual contact where condoms aren’t usually worn, you still might get an infection even if you have safer sex with a condom.

Getting regular check-ups for infections.

Getting checked and treated picks up any infection you have and stops you giving it to others. The clinic can help with contacting your sexual partners as they will also need to get checked. Gonorrhoea in the throat and rectum usually doesn’t cause symptoms and in the vagina often doesn’t cause any, so a check-up can detect an infection you might not even know you have. 

The more people you have sex with, the more often you should get checked.

Untreated gonorrhoea

It’s important that we treat this infection as left untreated it can lead to inflammation of the testicles and prostate in men, pelvic inflammatory disease in women, as well as causing arthritis in the joints in both men and women.

Updated October 14, 2011

If you have further questions you can call our helpline THT Direct on 0808 802 1221 from 10am to 10pm weekdays and from 12pm to 6pm on weekends or email info@tht.org.uk.