WHOThursday 29 April 2010, 3:44PM
Media release from World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) today warned that gonorrhoea
may soon become untreatable unless urgent measures are taken to
prevent and treat the sexually transmitted infection.
Improper use of antibiotics has resulted in widespread
antimicrobial resistance to the disease, with cheaper, first-line
antibiotics losing their effectiveness.
WHO said that if this continues, it will only be a matter of time
before gonorrhoea develops resistance to third-generation
cephalosporin. Australia, Hong Kong (China) and Japan have reported
treatment failures with oral cephalosporin, which is currently used
in the last-line treatment of gonorrhoea.
"We are dealing with a serious issue with the implication that
gonorrhoea may become untreatable," said Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO
Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
"This will have a major impact on our efforts to control the
disease and will result in an increase in serious health-related
complications," Dr Shin said.