Super-gonorrhoea reported in Midlands as region records fifth highest STIs in England
Two cases of antibiotic-resistant ‘super-gonorrhoea’ have been recorded in the Midlands.
Four cases have been confirmed in the UK, the first being reported in London in December last year, with a further three cases now confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
A heterosexual couple in their 20s based in the Midlands make up two of the three new cases, after recently being diagnosed with a strain of N. gonorrhoeae, which has resistance to the antibiotic ceftriaxone.
Ceftriaxone is the main antibiotic used to treat gonorrhoea in the UK, and being infected with a ceftriaxone-resistant strain means that this antibiotic will not easily treat the infection.
Further public health investigations are underway but there are currently no known connections between the cases in London and the Midlands.
If left untreated, the strain can cause infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women.
Dr Katy Sinka, STI section head at the UKHSA, said: "After a couple of years without any cases of this hard to treat form of gonorrhoea, we have now seen four cases in the last two months.
"It’s too soon to say whether this will be the start of a longer-term trend, but we do know that STIs are on the rise in general.
"Getting an STI isn’t as simple as taking some medicine and moving on with your life, if not properly treated, they can have long term impacts on your and your partner’s health.
"Adding antibiotic resistance into the mix makes the impact on your life even greater.
"There are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of gonorrhoea and other STIs.
"Use condoms consistently and correctly with all new or casual partners, test regularly for STIs and if you have any symptoms such as unusual discharge, don’t have sex until you are tested."
This news comes as as a new report by men's health platform Manual revealed the West Midlands has the fifth highest number of cases of STIs in England.
Some 22,440 STIs were reported in 2020, with the most common in the region being chlamydia, followed by gonorrhoea.
Clinical sexologist Ness Cooper said: "When it comes to where people live, lots of factors can have an impact on how likely you are to contract an STI.
"For example, was your school progressive or conservative when it came to openness around sex?
"Were local clinics available for you to regularly test yourself?
"How insightful was your sex education, and did your school or college offer out free condoms?
"Places where there are laws preventing expression of sexuality, and cultural expectations can also be a big factor in access to STI prevention and treatment."
