A new gonorrhea “superbug” has hit Japan. This new strain, named H041, is reportedly resistant to all existing antibiotics. Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease, is not fatal but is is extremely widespread causing approximately 340 million cases annually worldwide. In the United States, the CDC reports that gonorrhea developed resistance to certain antibiotics (penicillin and tetracycline) as early as the 1980s. While no cases of H041 have been identified outside of Japan, the prevalence of gonorrhea and its increasing antibiotic resistance give reason for concern. Gonorrhea can cause pain during intercourse, scarring of the reproductive tract, increased susceptibility to HIV, and if left untreated, infertility.
