Baby Boomers and Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea

Baby boomers take heed: Drug-resistant gonorrhea may well be a topic of interest or concern to you.

STD Numbers on Upswing for Baby Boomers

A February report by UPI.com revealed that researchers in the United States, Canada and England discovered an upswing in the numbers of baby boomers reporting sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea. Researchers theorize that in addition to many people in this age group not practicing safe sex, post-menopausal women are at greater risk for micro-tears due to decreased lubrication, with the tiny tears providing entry portals for the infectious organisms.

Health Care Providers Put on Notice

On Wednesday, the United Nations' health agency, the World Health Organization, put health care providers around the world on notice about being vigilant in their surveillance of the antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhea that is expected to eventually be found throughout the world. According to an AP report, the drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea has currently been identified in nations such as Norway, Japan and Britain.

What's the Risk?

Currently, the drug-resistant strain that concerns health experts has been developing a resistance to all the antibiotics currently used to treat this STD. As this strain of gonorrhea continues to develop and mutate, it is likely to become immune to all current treatments, reports Forbes.com. This could result in an incurable form of a sexually transmitted disease that is the second-highest reported communicable disease in the United States.

Bottom Line

Baby boomers didn't have to be concerned about deadly types of STDs during the heyday of their youth, so it can seem like those "teenagers" diseases aren't a concern in mid-life. Safe sex is important for sexually active adults at any age, as well as taking antibiotics for any condition exactly as prescribed to help avoid the development of future "super germs."

Smack dab in the middle of the baby boomer generation, L.L. Woodard is a proud resident of "The Red Man" state. With what he hopes is an everyman's view of life's concerns both in his state and throughout the nation, Woodard presents facts and opinions based on common-sense solutions.

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Posted in: Boomers, DrugResistant, Gonorrhea