Drug-resistant sexually transmitted infections are infections acquired through sexual contact whose causative organisms have evolved reduced susceptibility or full resistance to the antimicrobial agents normally used to treat them. The phenomenon is most pressing for bacterial agents, notably Neisseria gonorrhoeae, …
Drug-resistant sexually transmitted infections are infections acquired through sexual contact whose causative organisms have evolved reduced susceptibility or full resistance to the antimicrobial agents normally used to treat them. The phenomenon is most pressing for bacterial agents, notably Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which has progressively developed resistance across successive classes of antibiotics, but it is also relevant to other treponemal, chlamydial, and trichomonal infections and to antiviral management. Resistance arises through mechanisms such as target-site mutation, enzymatic inactivation, altered membrane permeability, and efflux pumps, and is selected and amplified by antibiotic overuse, incomplete treatment, inadequate dosing, and the lack of susceptibility-guided therapy. Resistant infections may fail standard regimens, prolong infectiousness, increase complication rates, and necessitate combination or last-line treatments, raising the prospect of infections that are difficult to cure. Surveillance of resistance patterns, molecular detection of resistance determinants, and antimicrobial stewardship are central to slowing its emergence, alongside prevention, prompt diagnosis, and partner treatment to reduce transmission of resistant strains. The problem is compounded by limited development of new antimicrobials and by gaps in knowledge and access in many settings. Drug-resistant sexually transmitted infections are therefore recognized as a growing public-health threat, demanding integrated efforts in diagnostics, treatment guideline revision, surveillance, and rational use of available agents.
6 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.