Gonorrhea Is Super, Thanks For Asking (No, Literally)

This banner image has nothing to do with the story, but if it did, she’d be thinking to herself, “Wow, this is gross.”

Hmmm, to crack a joke at Japan’s expense, or not to, that is the question. Well, considering what the facts are in this case, I don’t really believe there’s much comedic fodder for me to add anyway. The horrifying truth is that, well here, I’ll just let Reuters explain the situation to you:

Scientists have found a “superbug” strain of gonorrhea in Japan that is resistant to all recommended antibiotics and say it could transform a once easily treatable infection into a global public health threat.

Wait, wait, hold on for a second: a “superbug”…of gonorrhea, you say? Well that sucks. Researchers are calling this new strain H041, which I suppose could sound mildly amusing if the doctor who diagnosed you were C-3PO. Regardless, this new strain is completely immune to any currently used treatments. The guy who discovered the new superbug, Magnus Unemo of the Swedish Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, explains that while in STD jail, gonorrhea has been working out hardcore and basically sculpting itself into a pristine crotch ruining maniac.

“Since antibiotics became the standard treatment for gonorrhea in the 1940s, this bacterium has shown a remarkable capacity to develop resistance mechanisms to all drugs introduced to control it,” he said.

But why in Japan?

“Japan has historically been the place for the first emergence and subsequent global spread of different types of resistance in gonorrhea,” he said.

Oh, okay.

Aside from attempting to develop a new treatment to control the superbug, experts are now trying to use antibiotic cocktails to treat the new strain; combinations of drugs that previously hadn’t been used together to treat a single infection. The idea is to wear down and confuse the infection before the superbug has a chance to combat what the hell is going on. However, even if successful in their new mix of treatments, experts predict the strain would again become immune in the next 10-20 years.

So, in closing, I’d just like to wish everyone a happy Wednesday!

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