Scientists discover new drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea

As if gonorrhea weren't scary enough on its own, scientists say that the bacteria has mutated, developing a new strain that is resistant to antibiotics. The strain, H041, was discovered in Japan, and experts warn that it could become a global health threat if new medications aren't developed in response.

The scientific community isn't entirely surprised by the new development, and one researcher said, "Since antibiotics became the standard treatment for [gonorrhea] in the 1940s, this bacterium has shown a remarkable capacity to develop resistance mechanisms to all drugs introduced to control it. While it is still too early to assess if this new strain has become widespread, the history of newly emergent resistance in the bacterium suggests that it may spread rapidly unless new drugs and effective treatment programs are developed."

So yes, a new as-of-yet untreatable strain of gonorrhea is in the world. Welcome to your week.