An STI ‘superbug’ is on the horizon and here’s what you need to know

Be careful.

An STI called Mycoplasma Genitalium (MG) is currently worrying doctors due to its strength to fight antibiotics and rate in which it is spreading. The STI can cause infertility and premature birth in pregnant women as well as pelvic inflammatory disease if left untreated. The bug has been around since the 1980s however new records show that approximately one in 100 people now carry it. And according to The Sun, the STI can simply be spread by foreplay meaning one can catch the STI without even having sexual intercourse. Professor Suzanne Garland from Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital spoke about this super STI to ABC saying:"It's essentially acting like a superbug, with research showing at least 50 percent of people have a drug-resistant MG, limiting their treatment options." The STI is usually treated with antibiotics such as penicillin, but the strength in which the infection is developing is causing a huge problem for those trying to recover. The signs to look out for are as follows...

Men

• watery discharge from the penis
• burning, stinging or pain when you pee

Women

• discharge from the vagina
• pain during sex
• bleeding after sex
• bleeding between periods
• pain in the pelvic area below the bellybutton

Natika Halil, chief executive of the sexual health charity FPA reiterated the importance of regularly getting checked and always taking an STI test if you have had unprotected sex. She said: "STI tests are nothing to be worried about, they can usually be done quickly and easily." Continuing she said... "Many people with STIs don’t have any signs or symptoms at all, so don’t assume you’ll always be able to tell whether someone has an STI." "To reduce your risk, it’s far better to practice safer sex and use condoms, especially as they’re the only form of contraception that can help prevent you getting or passing on an infection." Noted.