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Gonococcal Infection Blog

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Experts Warn of Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea

Posted 8 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 8 – Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea is an increasingly worrisome reality, and steps need to be taken to limit the risk that an untreatable strain of the sexually transmitted disease will spread, U.S. researchers warn. "We're trying to stay a step ahead by putting these warnings and alerts out," said Dr. Gail Bolan, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's division of sexually transmitted diseases prevention. Over 600,000 Americans contract gonorrhea every year, making it the nation's second-most common communicable disease. Minorities of all types – whether in terms of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation – are considered among the most vulnerable populations, according to background information in the new report. Drug-resistant gonorrhea isn't a new phenomenon, Bolan and her colleagues said. During World War II, gonorrhea became resistant to the drug ... Read more

19 Million New STD Infections Reported Annually, CDC Says

Posted 17 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Nov. 17 – The 19 million new cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia diagnosed in the United States each year cost the nation's health care system $17 billion annually, according to an annual report released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are treatable but can cause serious, life-long consequences, such as infertility, if they aren't detected. "STDs are one of the most critical health challenges facing the nation today," CDC researchers said in their report. Reported cases of chlamydia steadily increased for the past 20 years and reached 1.3 million in 2010. The increase stems from expanded screening efforts, not an actual rise in the number of people infected with chlamydia. However, a majority of chlamydia infections still go undiagnosed, and fewer than half of sexually active young women undergo ... Read more

Older Women Can Benefit From Sex Ed Campaigns

Posted 14 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 – Most campaigns designed to educate people about their sexual health target younger generations, excluding a large number of sexually active women over the age of 50 who need and want this information, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of Florida revealed that although older women are aware of the risks for sexually transmitted diseases, they are not comfortable asking their doctor questions about their sexual health. The study, published in a special issue of the Journal of Consumer Affairs, concluded the communication between women over the age of 50 and their physicians needs improvement. Study author Cynthia Morton and her colleagues pointed out that many health professionals mistakenly think older women already have all the information they need. On the contrary, the study revealed older women need information on how to discuss safe sex ... Read more

Faster Way to Treat Partners of Women With STDs Urged: Experts

Posted 25 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Aug. 25 – When a woman is diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, her doctor should be able to pass along antibiotics to her male partner without examining him, to cut both partners' odds of re-infection, experts say. The new physician guideline was issued this week by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the nation's largest group representing ob/gyns. In a new committee opinion, the ACOG panel of experts stated that doctors who diagnose their female patients with these infections should pass along a prescription for antibiotics to the male partner – a practice called "expedited partner therapy." "Evidence indicates that [this type of approach] can decrease re-infection rates" compared to the more standard practice of simply referring the patient's partner for examination and treatment, Dr. Diane F. Merritt, ... Read more

Gonorrhea's Growing Resistance to Antibiotics Concerns CDC

Posted 7 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, July 7 – Gonorrhea appears to be growing increasingly resistant to drugs called cephalosporins, the only remaining class of antibiotics available to treat the sexually transmitted disease, according to a new report. Researchers analyzed 10 years' worth of gonorrhea samples (isolates) from men in 30 U.S. cities. The samples were collected between January 2000 and June 2010 through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project. The analysis revealed an increase in the proportion of samples with elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), the lowest concentration of antibiotics needed to halt the growth of gonorrhea bacteria. These increases in MICs suggest a decline in gonorrhea's susceptibility to antibiotics, the researchers explained in a CDC news release. During the study period, the percentage of gonorrhea samples ... Read more

New STD Report Finds Some Progress, High Costs for U.S.

Posted 23 Nov 2010 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Nov. 22 – The approximately 19 million new sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections that occur each year in the United States cost the health care system about $16.4 billion annually, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its annual STD report released Monday. The data for 2009 shows a continued high burden of STDs but there are some signs of progress, according to the report, which focuses on chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. The national rate of reported gonorrhea cases stands at 99 cases per 100,000 people, its lowest level since record keeping started in 1941, and cases are declining among all racial/ethnic groups (down 17 percent since 2006). Since 2006, chlamydia infections have increased 19 percent to about 409 per 100,000 people. However, the report suggests that this indicates more people than ever are being screened for chlamydia, which is ... Read more

Women Would Welcome At-Home Test for STDs

Posted 30 Mar 2010 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, March 30 – Do-it-yourself tests for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) apparently would be a hit among women. When given the option of taking an at-home test for chlamydia and gonorrhea, two of the most common STDs, 76 percent of 462 women in a recent study indicated that would be their preference, compared with 16 percent who said they would rather go to a clinic for testing and 8 percent who said they'd prefer to be tested by their own doctor. At-home test kits for sexually transmitted diseases are not currently available to U.S. consumers. Beyond women saying they would prefer to test themselves for STDs, the study also found that a greater percentage of these women actually followed through and got tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea – 65 percent compared with 32 percent of those who said they would choose doctors or clinics for testing. "The results are important ... Read more

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