Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea poses major health threat, experts warn

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Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea poses major health threat, experts warn

carly weeks

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

Published Monday, Sep. 19, 2011 4:35PM EDT

Last updated Monday, Sep. 19, 2011 4:46PM EDT

Gonorrhea is becoming resistant to antibiotics, a problem that represents a

major threat to public health in Canada, according to a leading Canadian medical

journal.

Rates of gonorrhea have been rising steadily in Canada in recent years, a trend

that has sparked significant worry among public-health experts.

Now, a growing number of antibiotic-resistant cases of gonorrhea are being

reported, raising concerns that no treatment options may be available for

infected individuals in the future. Earlier this year, a case of gonorrhea that

was completely resistant to all currently available antibiotics was identified

in Japan.

An editorial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday

argues that this is a serious health threat that warrants immediate action.

Although not considered fatal, gonorrhea can lead to painful symptoms and

long-term side effects, such as pelvic inflammatory disease in women and

scarring of the urethra in men, and infertility in both.

There are a number of factors involved with gonorrhea becoming resistant to

antibiotics, particularly the rampant spread of the disease. As more antibiotics

are used to treat growing rates of infection, the bacteria can mutate and render

various treatments ineffective.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that there were nearly 12,000 cases

of gonorrhea in Canada in 2007, an increase of about 124 per cent since 1998.

Hébert, editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal and

co-author of the editorial, said public-health campaigns, education and

awareness are needed to stop the spread of infection.

Dr. Hébert also suggested that more needs to be done to remind people that even

if sexually transmitted infections are not fatal, they can have serious,

disabling consequences.

" There is more complacency than there was, " he said.

Part of the problem is that gonorrhea can be asymptomatic in many individuals,

meaning that they may not be aware they are spreading it. That is why messages

about practising safer sex are so critical, the editorial states.

" At the end of the day, stopping it is the best approach by far, " Dr. Hébert

said.