US is investigating first two cases of super strength gonorrhea strain

America is investigating its first two cases of a ‘concerning’ strain of super-gonorrhea that shows signs of resistance to a range of antibiotics.

Officials say that both patients — who have not been named — are from Massachusetts and likely caught the disease in the state. 

There is no connection between the pair, which suggests the sexually transmitted infection (STI) is spreading.

Dr Margaret Cooke, the head of the state’s health department, said the discovery was a ‘serious public health concern’. It is the first time super-gonorrhea has been detected in the US, after the strain was also spotted in the UK and in Austria. 

Both patients with the disease — who have not been identified — were in Massachusetts. Contact tracing is underway to detect other cases (file photo)

Gonorrhea is the second most common STI in the US, with about 700,000 new cases detected every year.

The disease can cause a painful or burning sensation when urinating or an unpleasant vaginal discharge, though some patients are asymptomatic.

If left untreated, the infection can lead to serious complications, including infertility and potentially life-threatening pelvic inflammatory disease in women. In pregnant women, it has also been linked to permanent blindness in newborns.

Cases are treated with an injection of the antibiotic ceftriaxone. Patients may also be offered antibiotics to take orally like azithromycin and doxycycline.

But Massachusetts health officials warn the strain that infected two of its patients showed signs of at least some resistance to almost every drug to treat the bacteria.

They were both successfully treated, however, after receiving ceftriaxone.

A spokesperson for the state refused to confirm any additional details of the cases to CBS News, including their ages, sexes, where they lived or when they became infected. 

Neither case had recently traveled, although health chiefs said recent travel in their recent sexual partners could not be ruled out.

Testing by the state’s health officials found the strain was less susceptible or completely resistant to six out of seven antibiotics used to treat gonorrhea.

It had reduced susceptibility to  ceftriaxone, cefixime and azithromycin, and was resistant to ciprofloxacin, penicillin and tetracycline.

Health chiefs did not say whether the strain was also resistant to the antibiotic gentamicin, but tests back in 2019 found resistance to this antibiotic among gonorrhea was already widespread.

They added that the strain spotted in Massachusetts was the same as that detected in eight patients in the UK between December 2021 and June 2022 and previously reported circulating in the Asia-Pacific region.

In a clinical alert, health chiefs said one of the patients came to doctors with urethritis, or inflammation of the urethra — the tube that carries urine through the penis and outside the body.

Dr Cooke said: ‘The discovery of this strain of gonorrhea is a serious public health concern which [health authorities] have been vigilant about detecting.

‘We urge all sexually active people to be regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections and to consider reducing the number of their sexual partners and increasing their use of condoms when having sex.’

Dr Laura Bachmann, chief medical officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) division for STD prevention, said the case was a ‘reminder’ of the ongoing threat from the disease.

‘Timely identification and treatment, as well as a rapid public health response, are essential to keeping patients safe and reducing the risk of community transmission,’ she said.

‘We must all remain alert for potential gonococcal treatment failures as we combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.’

Another case with the penA60 mutation was detected in Nevada back in late 2020, which was successfully treated with an injection of ceftriaxone plus azithromycin given orally.

An alert has also been issued to healthcare providers across the state.