GENEVA (AP) - The World Health Organization says the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea is growing resistant to drugs and could soon become untreatable.
The U.N. health agency urged governments and doctors Wednesday
to step up surveillance of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea because it can cause inflammation, infertility, pregnancy complications and even maternal death.
The agency estimates there are 106 million new cases of the disease worldwide each year.
WHO scientist Dr. Manjula Lusti-Narasimhan says the last line of defense is a group of antibiotics called cephalosporins.
But she says cases of gonorrhea resistant to that drug have also been found recently in Japan, Britain, Hong Kong and Norway.
WHO wants countries to tighten their rules for antibiotic use until a new cure is found.
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