The highly drug resistant form of gonorrhoea has broken out across the north of England, sparking a national health alert.
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The Victoria Derbyshire programme spoke to Dr Jan Clarke, president of the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV, who said: “It’s important we stamp out this strain as soon as possible”.
Eleven cases have been reported in the Leeds outbreak, which began in March 2015, and since then a further four cases have been detected in patients from Macclesfield, Oldham and Scunthorpe.
So far all of the reported cases involve heterosexual patients, and some people have reported partners from other parts of England.
An outbreak of highly drug-resistant gonorrhoea has been detected in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, sparking a nationwide alert.
If left untreated the infection can cause severe long-term health problems.
Dr Gent continued: “Those affected are being treated with an alternative antibiotic, but the resistance to first-line treatment remains a concern”.
‘If this becomes the predominant strain in the United Kingdom we’re in big trouble, so we have to be really meticulous in making sure each of these individuals has all their contacts traced and treated’.
Experts have issued a national warning after 16 people with the sexually transmitted disease (STD) failed to respond to courses of antibiotics.
It added: “PHE is concerned that the effectiveness of current front-line dual therapy for gonorrhoea will be threatened if this resistant strain continues to spread unchecked”.
PHE is urging people to use condoms to prevent STDs and anyone concerned that they may have contracted gonorrhoea should seek medical advice.
Dr Gent said being screened for an STI can lead to early identification and treatment.
However, around one in 10 infected men and nearly half of infected women do not experience any symptoms.
Symptoms of gonorrhoea usually appear between two and ten days after infection. In rarer cases the testicles may also hurt and swell.
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For the ladies this includes a change in your regular discharge, any unusual bleeding down below, pain during sex or when having a pee.
