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According to the latest study, antibiotics for gonorrhea are becoming less effective. The CDC is starting to grow increasingly concerned because there are no other gonorrhea treatments effective against the disorder and, if left untreated, it can claim the life of the patient.
What is Gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea (also called the “drip” or the “clap”) is a bacterial infection. The illness can be transmitted through sexual intercourse. A significant percentage of the infected individuals do not present any symptoms of infection, making the disease even more dangerous.
When it does begin to manifest, the disorder can cause high fever and other dangerous conditions that can put the patient’s life at risk.
Why Are Over the Counter Antibiotics for Gonorrhea No Longer Effective?
Some antibiotics like penicillin and tetracycline are sold over the counter. Though the practice might come in handy when a patient needs to treat a sudden infection, it’s destructive in the long run. Antibiotics administered for viral infections or strong antibiotics prescribed for mild bacterial infections lead to an overall resistance to the drugs, rendering them inefficient when the patients need them most.
Which Is the Best Medication for Gonorrhea?
There are several antibiotics for gonorrhea and chlamydia that are still effective in combating the disorder. The most recommended course of treatment is either cefixime or ceftriaxone in the form of injections. Usually, doctors also prescribe azithromycin tablets to be taken along with the injections, increasing the efficiency of the drug.
Other antibiotics for gonorrhea are doxycycline, penicillin, tetracycline, quinolones, sulfa drugs, and some cephalosporins. Due to the alarming rise in gonorrhea antibiotic resistance, most US physicians prefer to administer a drug cocktail, to make sure that the bacteria is killed.
What Antibiotics Treat Gonorrhea Now?
Since doctors are facing an unprecedented antibiotic resistant bacterial strain, there are less efficient antibiotics for gonorrhea treatments than there were before. At first, penicillin and tetracycline were more than enough to stave off the bacterial infection, but in time, poorly administered drugs contributed to a rise in bacterial resilience that can give birth to a whole new era of medicine.
Some doctors are even afraid that the diseases of yore will once again start claiming the lives of patients. This is the direct result of both medical error when prescribing medication and hypochondriac individuals that buy over the counter antibiotics to treat a common cold.
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