The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported a “concerning rise” in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections across England.
Last year saw more than 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses reported in England, which is the highest number since records began in 1918.
Gonorrhoea is usually easily treatable – however, authorities are discovering more antibiotic-resistant cases such as ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea.
Ceftriaxone is considered the first-line treatment for gonorrhoea and between June 2022 and May 2024, 15 ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases were found in England, which puts the total cases found up to 31 since the first case was detected in 2015 in this country.
This includes seven cases which were extensively drug-resistant, meaning they were resistant against both first and second-line treatments, as well as other antibiotics.
“Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, risking the possibility of it becoming untreatable in the future,” said UKHSA consultant microbiologist, Dr Helen Fifer. “Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.”
Professor Matt Phillips, president at the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, added: “The rise of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections in England is a worrying trend that must be addressed with immediate action. Antibiotic resistance of STIs poses an increasingly major public health threat, which can create physical and psychological harms and place additional demands on other parts of the NHS.
“BASHH, alongside sector partners, has repeatedly called for a sexual health strategy for England; this must be a priority if our expert sexual health workforce are to effectively meet these growing and changing needs in sexual health.”
Prof Phillips authored an exclusive piece for National Health Executive’s latest digital magazine, detailing how sexual health is at a critical juncture and there is an urgent need for a national strategy. Click here to read his article.
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