This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Two women have been infected with super-gonorrhoea, leading sexual health doctors to reinforce the importance of safe sex.

Public Health England said one of the women acquired the infection in Europe and the other in the UK, with doctors looking to see if the cases are linked.

Both women have since been cured after the infections were resistant to main therapy.

Dr Nick Phin, deputy director of the National Infection Service at Public Health England, said: “Although these two cases of extensively resistant gonorrhoea have been successfully treated, contact tracing is under way to ensure there is no onward spread.

“This is a timely reminder of the importance of avoiding getting or passing on gonorrhoea. Everyone can substantially reduce their risk by using condoms consistently and correctly with all new and casual partners.”

Gonorrhoea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae and spread by unprotected sex. Infection is usually treated with the antibiotics ceftriaxone and azithromycin but the bacterium in these two cases was resistant to the drugs.