Super gonorrhea, also referred to as super-resistant gonorrhea, is a case of the common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that resists typical treatment from antibiotics. This type of gonorrhea is referred to as a superbug and is a serious threat to public health.
Following the spread of gonococcal fluoroquinolone resistance, the cephalosporin antibiotics have been the foundation of recommended treatment for gonorrhea.
Main symptoms
The most common symptoms of super gonorrhea are: Pain or burning with urination. White-yellow discharge, similar to pus. Increased urinary frequency with possible incontinence.
Taking all antibiotics as prescribed is always important, but it's especially important with gonorrhea. Gonorrhea is curable now, but it's becoming more resistant to antibiotics. Some forms of gonorrhea that have developed a high level of antibiotic resistance are commonly referred to as “super gonorrhea.”
While no cases have yet been identified in the U.S., in other countries, when conventional treatment fails, super gonorrhea has been treated with intravenous antibiotics that are typically reserved for serious, life-threatening infections.
Herpes may have first infected our ancestors more than a million years ago. Syphilis has been around since at least the Middle Ages.
Gonorrhea is highly contagious and is the second most commonly reported notifiable disease in the United States. You can get it by having unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has it. It can spread even if a man doesn't ejaculate during sex.
Although both the superbug and the standard version of the infection have similar symptoms, super gonorrhea doesn't go away after taking the typical combination of antibiotics. Even taking additional doses of the antibiotics that usually cure gonorrhea won't affect this superbug.
Any sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea. Anyone with genital symptoms such as discharge, burning during urination, unusual sores, or rash should stop having sex and see a health care provider immediately.
Eight pathogens are linked to the greatest incidence of STIs. Of these, 4 are currently curable: syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. The other 4 are incurable viral infections: hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus (HSV), HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV).
The extensively drug-resistant gonorrhoea with high-level resistance to the current recommended treatment for gonorrhoea (ceftriaxone and azithromycin) but also including resistance to penicillin, sulphonamides, tetracycline, fluoroquinolones and macrolides are called gonorrhoea superbugs or super gonorrhoea.
The first gonorrhea symptoms generally appear within 10 days after exposure. However, some people may be infected for months before signs or symptoms occur. Signs and symptoms of gonorrhea may include: Thick, cloudy or bloody discharge from the penis or vagina.
The symptoms of chlamydia and gonorrhea overlap, so it can be difficult to differentiate between the two unless you visit your healthcare provider or take a test for chlamydia or gonorrhea. The overlapping symptoms for chlamydia and gonorrhea in men and women include: A burning sensation during urination.
Signs and Symptoms of Syphilis in Females. The characteristic sign of syphilis is the appearance of a sore, known as a chancre, on the infected area. These sores are firm, round, and painless, though they can potentially burst and become open and wet. This is also when the bacterial infection is at its most contagious.
Gonorrhea symptoms normally show up between 1 and 10 days after you get the infection. Some people don't see any symptoms until after they've had the infection for months.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is the most reported STD, which is an STD that must be reported to local health departments when diagnosed. It is a bacterial infection that can often be cured with a round of antibiotics.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection
HPV is the most common STI in the United States, but most people with the infection have no symptoms.