Increase in drug-resistant gonorrhoea in UK travellers returning from abroad

The UK Health Security Agency have reported a rise in cases of a difficult to treat, drug resistant sexually transmitted infection (STI), gonorrhoea in UK travellers returning from popular tourist destinations in the Asia-Pacific region. Countries where infected travellers had recently visited included Cambodia, China, Thailand and Vietnam.

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STI which can be easily passed between people through unprotected sex. Symptoms usually begin around 2 weeks after becoming infected. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious complications including infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease.

• See NHS inform and NHS.UK for more information about Gonorrhoea.

Most STIs can be effectively treated with medications such as antibiotics. However, drug-resistant strains of STI’s, which do not respond to treatment, are becoming more common and can be difficult to cure successfully. This may lead to these infections becoming ‘untreatable’ in the future.

Advice to Travellers

The possibility of having a new sexual partner, and the risk of acquiring STIs whilst travelling, should be discussed with all travellers, in a non-judgemental way:

• sex during travel is often unplanned; whether or not a traveller intends to be sexually active during their trip they should be encouraged to take condoms with them and be advised when to use them
• practising safe sex reduces the risk of transmission of STIs and Blood Borne Viral infections (BBV)
• STIs may be asymptomatic, so travellers may not be aware they are carriers or have recently acquired an STI: travellers should be encouraged to have a sexual health screen after travel if they have had new sexual partners

Information on local sexual health services can be found on the following websites:

• Scotland: NHS Inform
  
• England: NHS.UK
  
• Northern Ireland: Sexual Health NI
  
• Wales: NHS111 Wales 

See the TRAVAX Sexual Health Risks page for additional information.