Resistant Gonorrhea on the Rise
Rare Chlamydial STD Appearing in the USA
In Hawaii, the proportion of cases of gonorrhea that are resistant to Cipro increased nearly 7-fold 1997-2000 [medical journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases]: from less than 1.5% in 1996 to 6.3% in 1998 and 10.4% by 2000. Fluoro-quinolones “are no longer recommended treatment for gonorrhea infections acquired in Hawaii, Asia, or the Pacific Islands.” [Reuters Health, 12/30/04; Abstinence Clearinghouse, 5Jan05]
RARE STD Health officials have issued a public warning about a potentially serious rare form of Chlamydia, LGV – lymphogranuloma venereum that has been found in a few homosexual/bisexual patients in Atlanta, New York and San Francisco. Of the 6 cases of LGV identified so far in the US, most were co-infected with HIV. LGV increases the risk HIV because it causes ulcers and bleeding. The traditional LGV symptom is lymph node swelling in the groin; recent symptoms include rectal bleeding, pus from the rectum and pain on defecation. [Associated Press, 02/02/05]