Most sexually transmitted infections that occur in America, occur in terms of rate and proportion among minority populations, in particular African American populations. Whether it is chlamydia, which among African Americans has increased by 17.6 percent over the past several years or HIV, African Americans historically have and continue to bear the brunt of most reported new cases.
A new study just published has documented that the first antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea cases have been detected in North America — a strain of gonorrhea that is immune to the last remaining effective oral antibiotic. It has been so far observed in at least nine North American patients. Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported disease in the United States. Recent data indicates that African American gonorrhea rates are 18.7 times the rate among whites. Moreover, African Americans account for 69 percent of all new gonorrhea cases each year according to STI surveillance data.
In a study, which was released Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a group of scientists led by Vanessa Allen of Public Health Ontario, found that 6.7 percent of patients with gonorrhea at a Toronto clinic still had the disease after a round of cephalosporin’s, the last effective oral antibiotic used to treat the disease. The nine gonorrhea-positive individuals in the study represented the first time cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea has been found in humans in North America.
New norovirus GII.4 strain
Most norovirus outbreaks seen recently in the U.S. were caused by a novel strain known as GII.4 Sydney, the CDC reported. Also this week: a name change is urged for polycystic ovary syndrome. Like the Flu, this is spreading rapidly across the US with more than 140 outbreaks of a dangerous new strain of norovirus now having been reported.
According to the CDC, norovirus sickens 21 million Americans each year. Of those, 70,000 need hospitalization and as many as 800 people die. Noroviruses are the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the United States. CDC estimates that each year more than 20 million cases of acute gastroenteritis are caused by noroviruses. That means about 1 in every 15 Americans will get norovirus illness each year. Norovirus is also estimated to cause over 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths each year in the United States.
The bad news about this strain is that hand sanitizer may not save you. Doctors say the only real defense is soap and water. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. In addition, both older and younger are equally susceptible and so many or getting ill currently that many require hospitalization.