UK doctor warns that gonorrhea may become untreatable

Gonococcal Ophthalmia Neonatorum

Gonorrhea is becoming medically untreatable:

December 29, 2015

England’s chief medical officer says gonorrhea could soon become untreatable as doctors warn it’s quickly developing antibiotic resistance.

Dame Sally Davies wrote in a letter to doctors and pharmacies in Britain that gonorrhea “has rapidly acquired resistance to new antibiotics, leaving few alternatives to the current recommendations.”

Gonorrhea is the second most common sexually transmitted disease in England. Cases have increased almost 20 percent between 2013 and 2014 alone. …

An outbreak of a strain of gonorrhea already resistant to one of the two usual antibiotics began in the U.K. in March.

Scientists fear it could become the dominant strain and are trying to track and monitor those who have it. http://www.wptv.com/mobile-showcase/gonorrhea-may-become-untreatable-official-says-1

I recall a statistic, from several years ago, that indicated about 1/4 of unmarried British females got a sexually transmitted infection the first time they had sex and about 1/5 of unmarried USA females did as well. About 1/2 of sexually-active unmarried USA teenage females reportedly have a SDI/STD (Reuters, March 11, 2008). Homosexual males may have the highest rate of STDs of any group (http://www.cdc.gov/std/life-stages-populations/stdfact-msm.htm). Promiscuity in the UK, USA, and elsewhere continues. New Zealand females have been reported to be the most promiscuous in the world (New Zealand women most promiscuous Sydney Morning Herald AAP – Oct 13, 2007. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/13/1191696214489.html).

Here is some information about gonorrhea from the US Centers for Disease Control:

What is gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can infect both men and women. It can cause infections in the genitals, rectum, and throat. It is a very common infection, especially among young people ages 15-24 years.

How is gonorrhea spread?

You can get gonorrhea by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has gonorrhea. A pregnant woman with gonorrhea can give the infection to her baby during childbirth.

How can I reduce my risk of getting gonorrhea?

The only way to avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting gonorrhea:

Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and has negative STD test results;

Using latex condoms the right way every time you have sex. …

Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men.
In women, untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Some of the complications of PID are

Formation of scar tissue that blocks fallopian tubes;

Ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb);

Infertility (inability to get pregnant);

Long-term pelvic/abdominal pain.

In men, gonorrhea can cause a painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles. In rare cases, this may cause a man to be sterile, or prevent him from being able to father a child.

Rarely, untreated gonorrhea can also spread to your blood or joints. This condition can be life-threatening. http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact-gonorrhea.htm

Two years ago, it was reported that there was a version of gonorrhea in Japan that was “worse than AIDs” (see ‘Worse than AIDs’ gonorrhea strain spreading from Japan).

The fact is that turning to biblical morality would eliminate gonorrhea, as well as all other STDs. God does not want people involved in sexual immorality:

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:24-32)

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)

Notice that the Bible says that promiscuity is a sin against the body.

Even the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) agrees that avoiding promiscuity is the best defense:

The most reliable ways to avoid transmission of STDs are to abstain from sexual activity, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. (Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/msmhealth/STD.htm, viewed 03/24/13)

Being faithful to biblical admonitions against fornication, adultery, and homosexuality are the “most reliable ways to avoid transmission” of sexually-transmitted diseases.

Of course, there are other strains of gonorrhea and other STDs. For example, if not treated, gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum will develop in 28% of infants born to women with gonorrhea (Prophylaxis for Gonococcal and Chlamydial Ophthalmia Neonatorum in the Canadian Guide to Clinical Preventative Health Care”. Public Health Agency of Canada.).

STDs affect society in many negative ways.

The Bible has long warned against sexual immorality (Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18) and homosexuality (Jude 7), and that deadly pestilences would be around in the end times (Matthew 24:4-8; Revelation 6:7-8).

More medically-resistant strains of STDs are consistent with that.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when?
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not always easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
 Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings. A related sermon is titled: Christians and the Ten Commandments.