Sexually transmitted diseases -- the way to strike fear in anyone who engages in casual sex, or, if you're a worry wart, sex in general.
The reality? One in four college students has an STD and while the college age population only accounts for a quarter of those who are sexually active, they account for more than half of newly diagnosed STDs each year.
Here's another dose of reality: according to the Center for Disease Control, strains of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea have developed resistance to antibiotics.
Most STDs, including gonorrhea, can be treated with antibiotics. Gonorrhea specifically is treated with cephalosporin antibiotics. These antibiotics have been thoroughly successful in treating the virus until recent cases proved otherwise.
Cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea will create problems in the treatment of the infection. There are very few other tested and effective treatment options left.
Many illnesses have strains that are resistant to antibiotics, like influenza, however, this is not the first time that strains of gonorrhea have mutated to be resistant to antibiotics. In the 1990s, studies proved that some strains had become resistant to fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The CDC no longer recommends the use of fluoroquinolones to treat gonorrhea.
According to WebMD, gonorrhea is one of the most common bacterial STDs. The CDC estimates 820,000 new cases in the United States each year, but only about half are detected and reported.
Gonorrhea can be transmitted through any sexual contact with an infected individual and ejaculation is not necessary for the infection to be spread.
Most people often get gonorrhea along with chlamydia, the most common STD among sexually active individuals. The symptoms between the two are similar, causing abnormal discharge in both men and women and a burning sensation during urination. The symptoms are almost always obvious in men, while only about 20 percent of women will experience these symptoms.
The most effective ways to avoid transmission are abstinence or having a long-term sexual relationship with a person who has been tested and does not carry gonorrhea. Use of latex condoms can also reduce the risk.
Frequent screenings are recommended for those who are sexually active. You can learn more about gonorrhea from the CDC.
