STI superbug discovered

Scientists in Japan have discovered a gonorrhea superbug that is resistant to all known antibiotics used to treat the sexually transmitted infection (STI), according to media reports.

The new strain of gonorrhea, dubbed H041, has the potential to become a global health threat—not surprising to some researchers, who predicted an outbreak of its sort last year when reports from Australia, China and other parts of Asia highlighted the STI’s resistance to drugs.

Gonorrhea is one of the most common and easily transmitted STIs in the world; it can cause ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women if left untreated. An estimated 700,000 cases are reported annually in the United States.