Sexually Active? Here's What You Should Know About Treatment-Resistant STDs

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) come in three types: viral, parasitic, and bacterial. Viral STDs, such as HIV and HPV, are incurable, but you can manage the symptoms. Parasitic STDs can be resolved with oral medication. Bacterial STDs are highly treatable with antibiotics, especially if you catch them early. 

Dr. Naima Cheema and our team at Nexclin Medicine in Roswell, Georgia, have helped many sexually active folks throughout Roswell, Alpharetta, and Milton control their STD symptoms and fully recover. We offer discreet, nonjudgmental STD testing here in our office. If we find an STD, Dr. Cheema can get you started on an effective treatment plan.

However, we’ve seen and heard about more and more cases of treatment-resistant STDs, and it’s a cause for concern within the medical community. If you’re sexually active, arm yourself with the facts to keep yourself and your partners safe.

Facts about STDs

Every year, about 2.5 million people in the United States develop one of the three most common bacterial STDs: gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. These infectious diseases pass from partner to partner during sex via the penis, vagina, anus, or mouth. They can also be passed from mother to baby during childbirth. 

Everyone who is sexually active is at risk for an STD. 

Symptoms vary depending on the type of STD, and some cause no symptoms at all. If you experience painful urination, genital discharge, or pelvic pain, come in for an STD test. Swollen glands, genital warts, and fever are also signs of a sexually transmitted infection.

How STDs become treatment-resistant

For many years, we’ve treated bacterial STDs with antibiotics with great success, but the bacteria have learned to fight back against the drugs over time. They resist the antibiotics and keep multiplying and spreading unchecked despite the treatment. 

The pathogens have adapted to the various antibiotics used over the years by:

• Changing their shape so the medication doesn’t recognize them
• Producing enzymes that break down the drug

In the past, we’ve outsmarted the bacteria by changing the antibiotic, but the “game” is nearing an end. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “We are currently down to one last recommended and effective class of antibiotics, cephalosporins.”  

Syphilis and chlamydia have shown signs of treatment resistance in some countries but not yet in the US, and gonorrhea has begun to follow suit. 

Is there hope for STD treatment?

Yes! The good news is that medical researchers are monitoring the treatment-resistance trend and working toward a resolution. Even more important, most bacterial STDs still respond well to conventional medications, and very few fight back. In fact, less than 1% of gonorrhea cases resist the currently recommended treatment. 

For uncomplicated cases, Dr. Cheema administers the antibiotic ceftriaxone. For stubborn cases, the CDC recommends a combination of ceftriaxone and azithromycin. Penicillin still works well for syphilis, and several antibiotics can successfully treat chlamydia. 

Meanwhile, new antibiotics are in the development stage, and a new test exists to determine which treatment will be most effective for a particular STD. In some cases, the test points to an older, less expensive antibiotic. 

If you suspect you have an STD, don’t ignore the signs. Without treatment, your STD can lead to severe health problems, including infertility, organ damage, and death.

Schedule an STD test by calling our office or booking online at your convenience.