British scientists are warning about a growing risk that gonorrhea could become untreatable, according to The Independent.
The spread of so-called super-gonorrhea seems to have started with straight couples, although some gay men have been affected as well.
Outbreaks of drug-resistant strains of the disease began surfacing in some parts of the island nation at the end of last year, but now Public Health England says it’s only having “limited success” containing the superbug.
Since it has begun surfacing the gay population, experts worry that it could spread more quickly.
"We've been worried it would spread to men who have sex with men," Peter Greenhouse, a sexual health consultant, told BBC.
"The problem is [they] tend to spread infections a lot faster simply as they change partners more quickly."
Gay men are also more likely to get gonorrhea in their throats, where it’s often harder to treat and requires higher doses of antibiotics.
Currently, gonorrhea is generally a very curable problem, but if the last effective antibiotic stops working, the disease also known as “the clap” could suddenly become untreatable.
Doctors use a combination of azithromycin and ceftriaxone to treat the STD, but the spreading strain is azithromycin-resistent — and doctors fear it could become ceftriaxone-resistant, too.
Gonorrhea is transmitted through oral, anal or vaginal sex and can cause infertility if not treated.
Symptoms can included thick green discharge or pain when urinating, but not every infected person exhibits symptoms.
