A woman has unprotected Sex and gets pustules on the Hand – what’s wrong with her?

How can a sexually transmitted disease? Most people would answer this question with “hands”. Exactly a young woman from the U.S. state of Texas happened. The 20-Year-old had unprotected sex with a new Partner and became infected with the gonorrhea pathogen. The disease is also under the name of gonorrhea is known.

Usually, gonorrhea is manifested by a yellowish vaginal discharge, or pain when urinating noticeable. Not so in the case of the 20-Year-old: Two weeks after the unprotected Sex, you woke up in the morning and noted that had formed on your skin, and strange pustules. The blisters expanded on your wrist, the fingers, the torso, the scalp and both ankles.

The pustules on the thumb and middle finger are easy to see

The woman was worried and went to the emergency room of a hospital. In addition to the rash she complained of pain over fever and muscle. Her right ankle was swollen and ached.

Rare History

As the Doctors report in the journal “The New England Journal of Medicine”, could you make on the basis of the symptoms relatively quickly, the gonorrhea pathogen as the cause of the disease. A blood test confirmed the suspected diagnosis.

The infection such as in the case of the Texas woman makes its presence on the skin, is rare and is only around three percent of the Affected. In the case of the so-called “Dissemination” spreading the bacteria via the blood. On the skin, painful, purulent pustules, accompanied by fever, a General feeling of illness and swollen joints.

In the case of gonorrhea, and gonorrhoea are the same disease – a bacterial infection called the gonococcus. The term gonorrhea is colloquially and derives from the low German word “dripping”, so drop it. A yellowish discharge from Penis, vagina or Po is one of the most important characteristics of the venereal disease. The infection can however pass unnoticed – the causative agent cause, in this case, no or hardly any symptoms. The disease is not treated, it can make you infertile, men as well as women.

Risk Of Resistance

Gonorrhoea addition to chlamydia, the world’s most common sexually transmitted infections. Worldwide, 78 million people fall ill each year from gonorrhea. How many people are infected annually in Germany, is unclear. Gonorrhea is not a notifiable disease. Clearly people is, however, unsafe Sex with changing partners, are particularly frequently affected. The Use of condoms reduces the risk of infection.

The Texas woman received two antibiotics, and her pain eased quickly. Of course, this is not Some gonorrhea strains of bacteria have developed resistance to common antibiotics. Before the treatment, should therefore be examined which strain is present.

Sources: The New England Journal of Medicine / technicians health insurance Fund and the Federal centre for health education