Antibiotic-sensitive ‘supergonorrhea’ detected in US for first time

It was detected in Massachusetts, in the U.S, on the last day 19, two cases of a strain of gonorrhea known to be less sensitive to several antibiotics, informed the Department of Public Health, which also added that the strain had already been detected previously in the United Kingdom and in Asia-Pacific countries, however, it is the first time on North American soil. The infected are unrelated and no connection has been found between them. According to the department, both cases in Massachusetts were successfully cured with ceftriaxone, the antibiotic currently recommended to treat gonorrhea. In a statement, Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke called the finding “a serious public health concern that DPH, the CDC and other health departments have been vigilant to detect in the US.” She also left a request for the population. “We urge all sexually active people to be regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections and to consider reducing the number of sexual partners and increasing the use of condoms when having sex. Clinicians are advised to review the clinical alert and assist with our expanded surveillance efforts,” she stated. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection, and if left untreated, it can result in pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and other health problems. In Massachusetts, cases have been on the rise and worried confirmed cases increased by 131% between 2009 and 2021, with 696,764 cases reported in the US in 2021 according to data released by the CDC.