New strain of gonorrhoea

Press, 8 December 1976, Page 3

New strain of gonorrhoea

PA Auckland Auckland health authorities have discovered at least two cases of a new, penicil-lin-resistant strain of gonorrhoea. In Auckland, venereologists are using the antibiotic spectinomycin to destroy the strain, but there are fears that the new gonorrhoea might become resistant to spectinomycin also. An Auckland venereologist. Dr J. Frew, discovered the new strain in October. onlv three weeks after it had been notified.

Late in September, Dr Frew received a weekly epidemiological bulletin from the World Health Organisation in Geneva, which said that a new penicillin-resistant strain of gonorrhoea had been isolated. Three weeks later a British seaman reported to Auckland health authorities with gonorrhoea and was found to have the new strain. Dr Frew said yesterday that the seaman had apparently contracted the new strain from a New Zealand girl. He was not aware whether she had been traced, but he had passed her description to social workers at ■fhe Auckland Hospital V.D. clinic.

“This new strain means that the treatment of the disease has to be carefully monitored.” he said. It meant that the patient had to be checked 48 hours after receiving treatment, one week later, and then a month later. New Zealand health authorities now did this. The symptoms for the new

strain were similar to the!usual form of gonorrhoea. The venereologist at Christ- [ church Hospital (Dr W. M. i Platts) said last evening that) no cases of the new strain; had been reported in Christ-) [church. About 50 cases of the! .strain had been reported in) [Liverpool, and several in the) [United States, while the home) [of the strain appeared to be! in the Far East, he said. ( It was most important that [ [the strain not be allowed to) spread, said Dr Platts. However, if the drug being used to destroy the strain was used too extensively, ; there was a possibility that it would lose its effectiveness. ;