# Super Gonorrhea & COVID-19: All You Need To Know **URL:** \ **Category:** General Public Health Discussions\ **Tags:** outbreak, public-health, publichealthissues\ **Created:** [15 January 2021 08:11 UTC](http://staging.aphan.africa/t/super-gonorrhea-covid-19-all-you-need-to-know/1168 "2021-01-15T08:11:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nana.gaje](http://staging.aphan.africa/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/47e85d/32.png) [@nana.gaje](http://staging.aphan.africa/u/nana.gaje)\ **Post date:** [15 January 2021 08:11 UTC](http://staging.aphan.africa/t/super-gonorrhea-covid-19-all-you-need-to-know/1168/1 "2021-01-15T08:11:38Z")
Super gonorrhea, also known as gonorrhea superbug, which is caused by the bacteria _Neisseria gonorrhoeae_, is an extensively drug-resistant gonorrhea with high-level resistance to the current recommended treatment (ceftriaxone and azithromycin) including resistance to penicillin, sulphonamides, tetracycline, fluoroquinolones and macrolides ([WHO](https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-antimicrobial-awareness-week/2018/features-from-around-the-world/super-gonorrhoea-q-a-with-dr.-teodora-wi), 2018). If left untreated, super gonorrhoea can lead to a five-fold increase of HIV transmission and eye infections that may lead to blindness. Source: [The Sun](http://www.thesun.co.uk) As a result of the overuse and in some cases, abuse of antibiotics to treat coronavirus and a lack of sexually transmitted infection (STI) services during the pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported a rise of super gonorrhea cases. They have also stated that the STI can become even more resistant to recommended treatments like azithromycin. A WHO spokesperson who spoke to The Sun, a british media house, said “such a situation can fuel the emergence of resistance in gonorrhea including gonorrhea superbug (super gonorrhea) or gonorrhea with high-level resistance to current antibiotics recommended to treat it”. A [study](https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa1239/5895253) conducted in 38 Michigan hospitals showed that 56.6% of patients in the study were prescribed early empiric antibacterial therapy while only 3.5% had a confirmed community-onset bacterial infection. Professor Philip Howard, a member of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence COVID-19 rapid guideline on antibiotics, UK, also said: “Almost three-quarters of patients admitted with suspected or proven COVID-19 pneumonia get antibiotics for this viral infection while less than 1% have a bacterial co-infection. It is therefore important to remember to: - **Avoid self medicating especially with broad spectrum antibiotics** - **Consult a healthcare professional before commencing the use of any medication to treat COVID-19 symptoms** - **Practice safe sex by using a condom during vaginal, oral, or anal sexual intercourse to prevent the spread of super gonorrhea and other STIs** What other ways do you think we can prevent the spread of antibiotic resistant infections and STIs in our communities? ---
**Author:** ![Chancy](http://staging.aphan.africa/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Chancy](http://staging.aphan.africa/u/Chancy)\ **Post date:** [10 December 2021 10:39 UTC](http://staging.aphan.africa/t/super-gonorrhea-covid-19-all-you-need-to-know/1168/2 "2021-12-10T10:39:34Z")
Paying attention to antibiotics ladder or rate can help reduce antibiotics resistance ---
**Author:** ![OlaniyanYemisi](http://staging.aphan.africa/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/9de0a6/32.png) [@OlaniyanYemisi](http://staging.aphan.africa/u/OlaniyanYemisi)\ **Post date:** [5 July 2022 21:56 UTC](http://staging.aphan.africa/t/super-gonorrhea-covid-19-all-you-need-to-know/1168/3 "2022-07-05T21:56:25Z")
Abstinence can help reduce the spread of STIs.