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X. Treatment of Gonorrhea
A. Historically, gonorrhea was treated with an injection of mercury.
1. Efficacy unknown.
B. First truly successful treatment introduced in the twentieth century.
1. Antibiotic treatment by Penicillin proved successful until resistance occurred in the
1970s.
2. When bacteria replicate and multiply, the DNA splits into two, a process that results in
mutations. Sometimes these mutations can be helpful and offer a survival benefit for the
bacteria.
C. These antimicrobial-resistant strains have recently created a large obstacle in the control of
gonorrhea.
1. In fact, it has become so resistant to multiple, common antibiotics that the Center for
Disease Control has recently added gonorrhea to its list of super bugs.
2. The CDC defines warns that these bugs are “infections that can't be successfully
treated with commonly prescribed antibiotics and often involve longer illnesses, extended
hospital stays or severe side effects from last resort drugs. They often lead to higher
treatment costs. For young children, the elderly and the immuno-compromised, a
progressive antibiotic-resistant infection can be fatal.”
D. A new strain of Neisseria Gonorrhea is immune to an antibiotic called fluoroquinolone that has
been prescribed in the form of a pill for over a decade.
1. Due to this resistant strain, the only guaranteed treatment for all cases is a shot of the
cephalosporin antibiotic.
E. Antibiotic treatment is dependent on the strain and its severity as well as geographical location
(since different areas of the world experience different resistant cases).
F. It may be necessary to take combinations of antibiotic treatments to cure the infection.
G. It is important to finish an entire course of the medication because inconsistency encourages
bacteria resistance and survival.
1. Regular doses will kill the bacteria rapidly and efficiently.
2. When the bacteria are undertreated, some of them may have enough time to replicate
and make changes in their DNA. Then, as they continue to multiply, new forms of the
bacteria do not respond to the antibiotics.
H. Gonorrhea testing is not usually included in routine STD testing, so make sure to ask your
healthcare provider if you think you may be at risk of infection.
1. If treated early in its course, gonorrhea should not cause any long-term problems.
However, if left untreated, advanced complications can arise.