Prevention Matters

Due to the improper use of antibiotics, Gonnorrhea may become untreatable in the near future. The World Health Organziation reported yesterday that there is now "widespread resistance" to first-line antibiotics, which are cheaper than other options, to fight the bacterium that causes Gonnorrhea.

Some countries, such as Australia and Japan are now also reporting treatment failures with a class of antibiotics that is the last line of defense against the disease. The WHO and CDC have developed an action plan to begin identifying other treatments.

Left untreated, gonorrhea can result in infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infections in newborn children. It also increases the likelihood of acquiring and transmitting HIV.

Christianne Johnson
Program Manager
Partnership for Prevention