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WHO has developed new recommendations for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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The WHO has developed new recommendations for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, this measure is caused by the growing threat of antibacterial resistance. Chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea are most often transmitted sexually, all these diseases are caused by bacteria and antibacterial therapy usually helps to completely get rid of the disease. But some antibiotics are rapidly losing their effectiveness, which is associated with frequent and, often, incorrect use of drugs.
According to preliminary estimates, every year more than 130 million people are infected with chlamydia, about 80 million with gonorrhea, and just over 5 million with syphilis.
Recently, doctors have noted that the resistance of bacteria that cause infectious diseases has increased and fewer and fewer antibiotics actually cope with their task. According to experts, resistance has developed especially in gonococci, which practically do not respond to antibacterial treatment; with chlamydia and syphilis, the situation is not much easier - the bacteria that cause these diseases still respond to some types of existing antibiotics, but in any case, the prevention of infectious diseases and rapid treatment are under threat.
The current situation has forced the WHO to review existing methods of treating sexually transmitted diseases and identify in each country which antibacterial drugs have developed resistance in the microbes that cause sexually transmitted diseases. The new recommendations are based on data on the most effective antibacterial drugs that are prescribed for diseases.
Gonorrhea causes damage to the mucous membranes (genitals, oral cavity, rectum). Gonococcus bacteria have developed resistance to antibacterial agents in a relatively short period of time, and outdated classes of antibiotics are completely ineffective.
WHO now recommends that all countries review their treatment of gonorrhea; doctors should prescribe only effective drugs. In each country, the resistance of gonococci circulating among the population to antimicrobials is different, so health care professionals should monitor the levels of spread of antibacterial resistance and determine the most effective antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of gonococci. Today, WHO does not recommend the use of quinolones, since gonococci are the least susceptible to this class of antibiotics.
Syphilis infection occurs through contact with a wound on the genitals, anus, rectum, oral mucosa, lips, and an infected woman can also infect a child during pregnancy, which often causes the death of the fetus.
According to new guidelines, the treatment of syphilis should be treated with the injectable antibiotic benzathine penicillin, which is much more effective than oral medications.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection. After infection, a burning sensation appears when urinating, but most often, a person does not experience any characteristic symptoms. The latent course of the disease often leads to problems with a person's reproductive health.