Latest news with #KatySinka
India Today
21-04-2025
- Health
- India Today
UTI drug repurposed to treat sexually transmitted disease shows 93% efficacy
A new oral antibiotic could be a breakthrough in the fight against stubborn gonorrhoea infections, a sexually transmitted infection that health authorities warn is becoming harder to a clinical trial, the UTI drug gepotidacin cleared infections in 93% of cases, performing just as well as the current standard treatment, according to findings published in The caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is commonly spread through unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex. It often goes undetected in women due to the absence of However, if left untreated, it can lead to infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and increased HIV study tested gepotidacin (previously used for urinary tract infections) on 628 participants with uncomplicated gonorrhoea. Half received two doses of oral gepotidacin, while others were given an injection of ceftriaxone and an oral dose of azithromycin, the existing dual showed the pill was equally effective overall: 93% of participants who took gepotidacin were cured, compared to 91% in the standard group. Gonorrhoea, caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is commonly spread through unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex. () Gepotidacin was already being used to treat urinary tract infections, but this is the first time it has shown success against gonorrhoea. It works differently from current antibiotics by blocking the bacteria's DNA replication, making it effective even in cases with known found that the new drug was 100% effective against rectal gonorrhoea, though it showed lower efficacy for throat infections (78%) compared to 94% with the standard treatment. Further data is needed, particularly for pharyngeal infections and in broader people experienced mild issues like nausea or diarrhoea, but nothing serious was trial results come as the UK faces a rise in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 17 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea were reported from January 2024 to March 2025, including nine that were extensively Katy Sinka from UKHSA warned that the infection is becoming increasingly difficult to treat and urged people with new or casual partners to get tested. Experts also cautioned that gepotidacin's use should be monitored carefully to prevent future while gepotidacin does bring hope, experts are warning caution especially for people who can't take injections or who have infections that don't respond to current drugs. If this new treatment is overused, resistance could build up why continued STI prevention, regular testing, and developing even more treatment options remain crucial in antimicrobial resistance.
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Potential new antibiotic for treating gonorrhoea
Scientists believe they have found a new effective antibiotic for gonorrhoea, which could be one of the most promising in decades. Gepotidacin can treat and clear the sexually transmitted infection just as well as existing antibiotics and appears to be able to tackle some emerging drug-resistant 'superbug' strains too, say researchers in The Lancet journal. The work was funded by pharmaceutical company GSK which makes the new tablets. Gonorrhoea is one of the most common STIs in the UK and cases have been rising. In 2023, over 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses were reported in England alone - the highest number since records began in 1918. Most of the cases were treatable, but there is growing concern that some strains can't be dealt with so time, the bacterium has developed resistance to most classes of available antibiotics and experts fear it may become untreatable in the future, unless new drugs are found. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Gepotidacin works differently to other antibiotics and stops gonorrhoea from replicating by blocking two essential enzymes. It's already approved in the US for treating urinary tract infections. The trial, being presented at the ESCMID conference, involved 628 patients randomly allocated to receive gepotidacin or an existing antibiotic. The new pill was equally effective for treating gonorrhoea and worked against strains of the infection that were resistant to current first-line treatments, such as ceftriaxone. Side-effects were reported more frequently with gepotidacin, but they were generally mild, such as nausea or some stomach discomfort. Gepotidacine is not the only new oral antibiotic for gonorrhoea that researchers are exploring. Another, called zoliflodacin, has also shown promise in phase 3 clinical trials. Meanwhile, the UK is considering a vaccine to help stop the spread of November 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended a targeted roll-out of the MenB designed to tackle Meningitis B in children, the JCVI found the treatment was roughly 40% effective at preventing people from contracting and spreading gonorrhoea. Dr Katy Sinka, consultant epidemiologist and head of the STI section at UK Health Security Agency, said it was "really promising" to see a successful trial for a new antibiotic to treat gonorrhoea."As gonorrhoea becomes increasingly resistant to antibiotics, it could become untreatable in future and cause serious problems like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Trials like this are so important to help us discover new treatment options."She said the best way to prevent an STI is by using a condom. If someone has had condom-less sex with a new or casual partner, they should get tested. "Early detection not only protects a person's health but prevents transmission to others. Testing is quick, free and confidential," she said. Gonorrhoea: quick facts Gonorrhoea is easily passed from person to person through unprotected sexAround one in 10 infected men and almost half of infected women do not experience any symptomsThe infection can be passed from a pregnant woman to her baby, and without treatment, can cause permanent blindness for a newborn babyIt is not spread by non-sexual contact like huggingIt is not transmitted through surfaces and materials like toilet seats, towels, cups or platesIf you've had successful treatment for gonorrhoea before, you can still catch it againSource: NHSMore information and advice is available on this NHS webpage.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The area of Nottinghamshire where cases of 'Biblical' disease have tripled
Cases of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) have more than tripled across Nottinghamshire since 2012 and health officials have warned that it could become "untreatable" as it becomes resistant to antibiotics. Nottingham is the fourth most likely place to catch gonorrhoea after London, Liverpool and Brighton. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says new provisional STI surveillance data shows a rise in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea cases, including extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains. While most gonorrhoea infections can be effectively treated, certain resistant strains, particularly ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea, present a much greater challenge. In 2023 - the latest full-year data available - there were a record 85,000 cases of all strains of gonorrhoea in England, the highest number in more than 100 years. Of those, 953 cases were in Nottingham - a rise from 259 in 2012. READ MORE: Row breaks out over 'prison' garden wall on 'middle-class' Nottinghamshire estate READ MORE: 'We breathe in cannabis smoke 24/7, but council says it can't stop tenants smoking' Similar rises have been seen across the rest of Nottinghamshire with Mansfield and Bassetlaw seeing more than a four-fold increase and Newark and Sherwood a massive rise with more five times the cases in 2023 compared to 2012 - up from 19 to 102 and the same in Rushcliffe up from 16 cases to 83 in the same period. As the primary antibiotic used to treat gonorrhoea - an ancient STI referenced in the Bible and early Greek and Roman writing - resistance to ceftriaxone can make infections difficult to heal. Since it was first detected in England in 2015, 42 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea have been reported. Fifteen of these cases were XDR, which means that they were resistant to ceftriaxone and alternative treatment options. Although numbers remain low, cases are being detected more frequently. Thirteen cases were diagnosed last year and four in 2025 so far, compared to 16 cases in the previous two years combined. XDR cases are also rising. Nine cases have been reported in the last fifteen months, compared to five in the two years to December 2023. Dr Katy Sinka, consultant epidemiologist and head of the STI section at UKHSA, said: "Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, which could make it untreatable in future. If left untreated, it can cause serious problems like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. "The best way to stop STIs is by using a condom. If you've had condomless sex with a new or casual partner, get tested, whatever your age, gender or sexual orientation. This includes when you are having sex abroad. Early detection not only protects your health but prevents transmission to others. Many STIs show no symptoms, which is why regular testing is so important. Testing is quick, free and confidential." The UKHSA says most antibiotic-resistant cases are linked to travel to or from the Asia-Pacific region, where ceftriaxone resistance is common. While transmission within England has been limited so far, the increasing number of cases in recent years is concerning as it increases the chance of wider spread and treatment challenges. Nationally, the infection rate - the number of cases per 100,000 people, which measures the risk of catching a disease - has trebled from 50.3 infections per 100,000 people in 2012 to 149 per 100,000 in 2023. That's the equivalent of about one in 670 people in England being diagnosed with gonorrhoea. In Nottingham, the rate of infection has risen from 84.2 per 100,000 people to 290.1, with similar increases across the rest of the county or higher pro rata in the case of Mansfield which has increased from 21.9 to 94.5 per 100,000 people and in Bassetlaw which has seen an increase from 21 to 87 per 100,000 head of population. The latest regional data on gonorrhoea infections shows that the risk of catching this ancient STI is highest in parts of London, particularly in Lambeth, where 4,101 diagnoses of gonorrhoea were made in 2023. That's a rate of 1,295 infections per 100,000 people or the equivalent of about one in 77 people catching gonorrhoea. Outside the capital, the risk of catching gonorrhoea was greatest in Liverpool (302 infections per 100,000 people), Brighton (292), Nottingham (290), and Manchester (276). This is the increase in cases across Nottinghamshire from 2012 -2023: AREA 2012 2023Nottingham 259 953 Ashfield 53 113 Bassetlaw 21 87 Broxtowe 36 86 Gedling 45 124 Mansfield 23 105 Newark and Sherwood 19 102 Rushcliffe 16 83 You can see the cases and rate of gonorrhoea where you live, and how that has changed over the last decade, using our interactive map.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ancient disease 'could become untreatable' as it resists antibiotics
Concerns have been raised about a rise in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea cases. While most gonorrhoea infections can be effectively treated, certain resistant strains, particularly ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea, present a much greater challenge for doctors. As the primary antibiotic used to treat gonorrhoea - an ancient STI referenced in the Bible and early Greek and Roman writing - resistance to ceftriaxone can make infections difficult to heal. READ MORE: Popular family car model named as Midlands' most stolen Get all the latest motoring news sent to your inbox by signing up to our new newsletter here Doctors fear the condition could become untreatable in future if antibiotics stop working. Since it was first detected in England in 2015, 42 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea have been reported. Fifteen of these cases were XDR, which means that they were resistant to ceftriaxone and alternative treatment options. Although numbers remain low, cases are being detected more frequently. Thirteen cases were diagnosed last year and four in 2025 so far, compared to 16 cases in the previous two years combined. XDR cases are also rising. Nine cases have been reported in the last fifteen months, compared to five in the two years to December 2023. Dr Katy Sinka, consultant epidemiologist and head of the STI section at the UK Health Security Agency, said: 'Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, which could make it untreatable in future. "If left untreated, it can cause serious problems like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. 'The best way to stop STIs is by using a condom. "If you've had condomless sex with a new or casual partner, get tested, whatever your age, gender or sexual orientation. "This includes when you are having sex abroad. "Early detection not only protects your health but prevents transmission to others. "Many STIs show no symptoms, which is why regular testing is so important. Testing is quick, free and confidential.' The UKHSA says most antibiotic-resistant cases are linked to travel to or from the Asia-Pacific region, where ceftriaxone resistance is common. While transmission within England has been limited so far, the increasing number of cases in recent years is concerning as it increases the chance of wider spread and treatment challenges. In 2023 - the latest full-year data available - there were a record 85,000 cases of all strains of gonorrhoea in England, the highest number in more than 100 years. That's more than triple the number of cases a decade earlier. The infection rate - the number of cases per 100,000 people, which measures the risk of catching a disease - has trebled from 50.3 infections per 100,000 people in 2012 to 149 per 100,000 in 2023. That's the equivalent of about one in 670 people in England being diagnosed with gonorrhoea.
The Independent
27-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Gonorrhoea risks becoming ‘untreatable' amid rising antibiotic-resistant cases
Cases of gonorrhoea infections that are resistant to antibiotics are on the rise in England, officials have warned. If not tackled, increased resistance could one day make the sexually transmitted infection (STI) 'untreatable'. Gonorrhoea can usually be treated effectively, although some cases can be resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, which is the first line of treatment. This means the bacteria that causes the infection has developed the ability to survive and multiply even when exposed to the antibiotic. Some cases are also classed as 'extensively drug resistant' – or XDR – meaning the infection did not respond to ceftriaxone or the second line of treatment. New figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that in the 15 months from January 2024 to March 2025, there were 17 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea. Thirteen were reported in 2024, with four cases in 2025 so far. This is compared to 16 cases across 2022 and 2023. In the same period, there were nine XDR cases reported – six in 2024 and three in 2025 so far. This is compared to five cases between 2022 and 2023. Ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea was first detected in England in 2015 and 42 cases have since been reported. Most cases are linked to the Asia-Pacific region, were resistance to ceftriaxone is common, according to the UKHSA. Transmission in England is so far limited, but rising cases could present treatment challenges in the future. Symptoms of gonorrhoea include green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating, pain and discomfort in the rectum. For women, symptoms can include lower abdominal pain or bleeding between periods. However, many people do not have symptoms. Dr Katy Sinka, consultant epidemiologist and head of the STI section at UKHSA, said: 'Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, which could make it untreatable in future. 'If left untreated, it can cause serious problems like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.' Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that causes gonorrhoea, appears on the UKHSA's list of viruses and bacteria which pose the greatest threat to public health. Figures from the agency show there were about 54,965 gonorrhoea diagnoses at sexual health services in the first nine months of 2024 compared to more than 85,000 in the whole of 2023. There were also about 7,000 syphilis cases in the first nine months of last year compared to 9,513 in the whole of 2023. Dr Sinka added: 'The best way to stop STIs is by using a condom. 'If you've had condomless sex with a new or casual partner, get tested, whatever your age, gender or sexual orientation. This includes when you are having sex abroad. 'Early detection not only protects your health but prevents transmission to others. Many STIs show no symptoms, which is why regular testing is so important. 'Testing is quick, free and confidential.'
