Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in the United States. Unfortunately, it has become resistant to most antibiotics. Antibiotics in the cephalosporin family are the antibiotics that have been effective. However, now there are some strains of gonorrhea that have become resistant to this group of antibiotics as well.

The age group that has more cases than any other are teen girls from ages 15 to 19. If gonorrhea is left untreated it can result in pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and even arthritis and possible heart problems.

Since the advent of antibiotics gonorrhea has changed and developed resistance. The first drug that was tried was the class of sulfa drugs, then the penicillins and a wide variety of others. It is resistant to all but the cephalosporins now and soon we may be left with no options to treat this disease.

The key is to prevent gonorrhea in the first place. It is important that we talk to our children about the consequences of unprotected sex. Regardless of how you feel about abstinence, sexually transmitted infections and how you get them is one topic that must be discussed. Otherwise, the consequences could be deadly.