CDC Warns of Increasing Gonococcal Resistance

Posted in Pharma & Devices Science & Research

A gonorrhea super bug? The CDC is now warning that the most commonly used antibiotic class to treat the infection is losing its activity against the increasingly resistant organism. Instead of the oral formulation of the representative antibiotics used in the cephalosporin class, it is recommending the use of an intravenous antibiotic formerly reserved for more serious infections in unreliable patients. Because, you know that when the CDC starts using the designations gonococcal and epidemic in close proximity to each other in practically every passage, it’s not good.

Five years ago, another broadly used class of antibiotic used to treat this once easily treatable sexually transmitted infection — the quinolones, lost much of its power against the now formidable strain. This led to the use of cephalosporins, orally. Time’s up for these drugs, as IV ceftriaxone is recommended with close follow up of the contact approximately a week later. According to CDC honchos, “it’s only a matter of time” before ceftriaxone is rendered useless. Sure, there continues to be research; however, the breadth and number of new trials involving this particular treatment strategy can apparently be counted on one hand.

How serious is this? Serious enough for the CDC to put out its own action response plan. Sexually active adults can implement their own plan through education, prevention, and just good common sense. It’ll have to be this way, because, once this super bug gets into the bloodstream, it could become lethal. | LINK | LINK to FAQ