Researchers identify a fully resistant strain of gonorrhea

Recent research has shown that the sexually transmitted disease (STD) gonorrhea has become increasingly resistant to available antibiotics that once cured the infection. For this reason, some health experts recommend a cocktail of drugs to help reduce the odds of antibiotic resistance in individuals who have been diagnosed with gonorrhea.

However, scientists recently discovered a strain of the STD that cannot be treated with any medications that have been used in the past to eliminate the infection.

A report that highlights the findings associated with the discovery will be presented at the 19th conference of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Disease Research.

"While it is still too early to assess if this new strain has become widespread, the history of newly emergent resistance in the bacterium suggests that it may spread rapidly unless new drugs and effective treatment programs are developed," said lead researcher Magnus Unemo.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 700,000 Americans are infected with gonorrhea each year, but only half of these cases are reported.