Updated
Second case of super-gonorrhoea strain detected in London
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning after an antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhoea was detected in London - Credit: PA
A second case of an antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhoea has been detected in London.
Two cases involving a strain of the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the extremely contagious sexually transmitted infection (STI), has been confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
This strain is resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, which is now the main treatment for gonorrhoea.
The first London case was found in a man in his early 20s, who it's believed acquired the infection in November last year.
A woman in her 20s is now said to have since contracted the infection, making hers the second case in the capital.
Two additional cases have been recorded in the Midlands.
Dr Katy Sinka, STI section head at the UKHSA, said: "It is too soon to say whether this will be the start of a longer-term trend, but we do know that STIs are on the rise in general.
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"Getting an STI isn’t as simple as taking some medicine and moving on with your life – if not properly treated, they can have long term impacts on your and your partner’s health."
Typical symptoms include a thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating, pain and discomfort in the rectum, lower abdominal pain in the area of the uterus or ovaries, and bleeding between periods.
Some people infected with gonorrhoea won't have any symptoms at all, especially throat, vagina or rectum infections.
For advice on STIs, including how to access sexual health services, see sexwise.org.uk.
