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| Oral sex producing unstoppable bacteria | Oral sex producing unstoppable bacteria |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Oral sex is producing dangerous gonorrhoea and a decline in condom use is helping it to spread, the World Health Organization has said. | |
| It warns that if someone contracts gonorrhoea, it is now much harder to treat, and in some cases impossible. | |
| The sexually transmitted infection is rapidly developing resistance to antibiotics. | The sexually transmitted infection is rapidly developing resistance to antibiotics. |
| Experts said the situation was "fairly grim" with few new drugs on the horizon. | Experts said the situation was "fairly grim" with few new drugs on the horizon. |
| Around 78 million people pick up the STI each year and it can cause infertility. | Around 78 million people pick up the STI each year and it can cause infertility. |
| The World Health Organization analysed data from 77 countries which showed gonorrhoea's resistance to antibiotics was widespread. | |
| Dr Teodora Wi, from the WHO, said there had even been three cases - in Japan, France and Spain - where the infection was completely untreatable. | Dr Teodora Wi, from the WHO, said there had even been three cases - in Japan, France and Spain - where the infection was completely untreatable. |
| She said: "Gonorrhoea is a very smart bug, every time you introduce a new class of antibiotics to treat gonorrhoea, the bug becomes resistant." | She said: "Gonorrhoea is a very smart bug, every time you introduce a new class of antibiotics to treat gonorrhoea, the bug becomes resistant." |
| Worryingly, the vast majority of gonorrhoea infections are in poor countries where resistance is harder to detect. | Worryingly, the vast majority of gonorrhoea infections are in poor countries where resistance is harder to detect. |
| "These cases may just be the tip of the iceberg," she added. | "These cases may just be the tip of the iceberg," she added. |
| Oral sex | Oral sex |
| Gonorrhoea can infect the genitals, rectum and throat, but it is the latter that is most concerning health officials. | Gonorrhoea can infect the genitals, rectum and throat, but it is the latter that is most concerning health officials. |
| Dr Wi said antibiotics could lead to bacteria in the back of the throat, including relatives of gonorrhoea, developing resistance. | Dr Wi said antibiotics could lead to bacteria in the back of the throat, including relatives of gonorrhoea, developing resistance. |
| She said: "When you use antibiotics to treat infections like a normal sore throat, this mixes with the Neisseria species in your throat and this results in resistance." | She said: "When you use antibiotics to treat infections like a normal sore throat, this mixes with the Neisseria species in your throat and this results in resistance." |
| Thrusting gonorrhoea bacteria into this environment through oral sex can lead to super-gonorrhoea. | Thrusting gonorrhoea bacteria into this environment through oral sex can lead to super-gonorrhoea. |
| "In the US, resistance [to an antibiotic] came from men having sex with men because of pharyngeal infection," she added. | "In the US, resistance [to an antibiotic] came from men having sex with men because of pharyngeal infection," she added. |
| A decline in condom use, which had soared because of fears of HIV/Aids, is thought to help the infection spread. | A decline in condom use, which had soared because of fears of HIV/Aids, is thought to help the infection spread. |
| What is gonorrhoea? | What is gonorrhoea? |
| The disease is caused by the bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoea. | The disease is caused by the bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoea. |
| The infection is spread by unprotected vaginal, oral and anal sex. | The infection is spread by unprotected vaginal, oral and anal sex. |
| Of those infected, about one in 10 heterosexual men and more than three-quarters of women, and gay men, have no easily recognisable symptoms. | Of those infected, about one in 10 heterosexual men and more than three-quarters of women, and gay men, have no easily recognisable symptoms. |
| But symptoms can include a thick green or yellow discharge from sexual organs, pain when urinating and bleeding between periods. | But symptoms can include a thick green or yellow discharge from sexual organs, pain when urinating and bleeding between periods. |
| Untreated infection can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and can be passed on to a child during pregnancy. | Untreated infection can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and can be passed on to a child during pregnancy. |
| The World Health Organization is calling on countries to monitor the spread of resistant gonorrhoea and to invest in new drugs. | The World Health Organization is calling on countries to monitor the spread of resistant gonorrhoea and to invest in new drugs. |
| Dr Manica Balasegaram, from the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, said: "The situation is fairly grim. | Dr Manica Balasegaram, from the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, said: "The situation is fairly grim. |
| "There are only three drug candidates in the entire drug [development] pipeline and no guarantee any will make it out." | "There are only three drug candidates in the entire drug [development] pipeline and no guarantee any will make it out." |
| But ultimately, the WHO said vaccines would be needed to stop gonorrhoea. | But ultimately, the WHO said vaccines would be needed to stop gonorrhoea. |
| Prof Richard Stabler, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "Ever since the introduction of penicillin, hailed as a reliable and quick cure, gonorrhoea has developed resistance to all therapeutic antibiotics. | Prof Richard Stabler, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "Ever since the introduction of penicillin, hailed as a reliable and quick cure, gonorrhoea has developed resistance to all therapeutic antibiotics. |
| "In the past 15 years therapy has had to change three times following increasing rates of resistance worldwide. | "In the past 15 years therapy has had to change three times following increasing rates of resistance worldwide. |
| "We are now at a point where we are using the drugs of last resort, but there are worrying signs as treatment failure due to resistant strains has been documented." | "We are now at a point where we are using the drugs of last resort, but there are worrying signs as treatment failure due to resistant strains has been documented." |
| Follow James on Twitter. | Follow James on Twitter. |