Gonorrhea

Prelims – Current events of National Importance| General Science

Mains (GS I) – Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

Why in News?

A new study finds that a new type of antibiotic, gepotidacin for the treatment of urinary tract infections in women could also work against gonorrhoea infections

• It is a contagious sexually transmitted infection.
• Caused by - Neisseria gonorrhoeae, type of bacteria.
• It is often called "the clap" and can affect the genitals, mouth, or rectum.
• Transmission - Primarily occurs through vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
• It can also be transmitted from a mother to her baby during childbirth.
• Symptoms
  • Men - May experience pain or burning while urinating, discharge from the penis, and/or testicular pain.
  • Women - May experience vaginal discharge, pain or burning while urinating, and/or pelvic pain.
  • Rectal Gonorrhea - May cause anal itching, discharge, or pain during bowel movements.
  • Throat Gonorrhea - Can cause sore throat.
  • Asymptomatic Infections - Many people with gonorrhea have no symptoms, making it easy to spread unknowingly.
• High -Risk Category - Sexually active women younger than 25 and men who have sex with men are at increased risk of getting gonorrhea.
• Severity - Gonorrhea can lead to serious health problems if left untreated, and though rare, can even spread to the blood or joints.
• Among women, untreated gonorrhea can cause an infection of the reproductive organs called pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to a greater risk of pregnancy complications and infertility.
• In men, gonorrhea also can lead to infertility in rare cases.
• Treatment - The primary treatment for gonorrhea is ceftriaxone, an injectable cephalosporin antibiotic.
• However, due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, dual therapy with ceftriaxone and azithromycin is often recommended, especially in areas with high rates of resistance.
• Prevalence - Gonorrhea is the 2^nd most common sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria, just behind chlamydia.
• In the United States, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections or STIs have become more common.

Reference

CNN |Gonorrhea