Doctors have issued a warning against a sexually-transmitted "superbug" discovered in Japan which could be deadlier than AIDS
The antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhoea, which is now being termed as a "superbug". Ganorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease. The bug, which was discovered in Japan four years ago, has been found to have characteristics that are deadlier than AIDS.
"This might be a lot worse than AIDS in the short run because the bacteria is more aggressive and will affect more people quickly," said Alan Christianson, a doctor of naturopathic medicine.
Christianson told CNBC News that even though more than 30 million people worldwide have died because of AIDS-related problems, this gonorrhoea bacteria has a more "direct" effect.
"Getting gonorrhoea from this strain might put someone into septic shock and death in a matter of days," Christianson said. "This is very dangerous."
"It's an emergency situation. As time moves on, it's getting more hazardous," said William Smith, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors.
The new strain of gonorrhoea now named H041 was first discovered in a female sex worker in Japan when she was screened in 2009. The medication-resilient 'sex superbug' was then discovered in Hawaii in 2011 and quickly spread to California and Norway.
Though no deaths caused by H041 have been reported yet, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that efforts to fight this strain must continue. The CDC has already asked the Congress for $54 million to fund studies to find a cure for this "superbug."
"This is a disaster just waiting to happen," Christianson told CNBC. "It's time to do something about it before it explodes. These superbugs, including the gonorrhea strain, are a health threat. We need to move now before it gets out of hand."
