New data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) highlights a concerning rise in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections in England.
In 2023, over 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses were reported in England, the highest number since records began in 1918. While the infection can usually be easily treated, some strains are resistant to commonly used antibiotics and are harder to treat. A type that poses a particular threat is ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea. Ceftriaxone is the ‘first line’ antibiotic used to treat gonorrhoea in this country and so resistance to the drug can make treatment difficult, especially for gonorrhoea infections in the throat.
Between June 2022 and May 2024, 15 ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases were detected in England, including 5 that were found to be extensively drug-resistant (resistant to both first- and second-line treatment options and to other antibiotics). Since the first case detected in England in 2015, there have now been a total of 31 ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases, 7 of which were extensively drug-resistant.
To date, all detected cases have been among heterosexual individuals, mostly in their 20s, and most acquired the infection abroad. There has been limited transmission within England, but the increasing number of cases in recent years is concerning as it increases the chance of wider spread and treatment challenges.
Dr. Helen Fifer, Consultant Microbiologist at UKHSA, said: "Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, risking the possibility of it becoming untreatable in the future. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Condoms are the best defence."
