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Eric Caumes (Infectious Disease Specialist)
Around ten CRS officers deployed in New Caledonia were repatriated to France due to STIs, according to information from Canard Enchainé on Wednesday, September 11. What is gonorrhea and how is it transmitted? Doctissimo interviewed Professor Eric Caumes, an infectious disease specialist.
Three different CRS companies were deployed to New Caledonia as part of the riots that began last May on the island. And among these officials, about ten were reportedly repatriated to France “discreetly”, following gonorrhoea infections, more commonly known as “the clap”. The information was revealed by our colleagues at Le Canard Enchaîné in its edition of Wednesday, September 11, but the central management of the CRS denies it entirely.
An STI that affects men more
Still according to the web-footed bird, the CRS were housed in a chic hotel in Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia. Hotel located “500 meters from one of the hottest nightclubs in the area“where the officials went. Following unprotected intercourse, they contracted gonorrhoea, which particularly affects young men.
Gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in women.
Asked about the subject, Professor Eric Caumes, infectious disease specialist and consultant physician at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, points out that gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection which is actually transmitted during unprotected intercourse.
It causes visible symptoms in men but may be silent in women.In men, gonorrhea causes pain and burning when urinating. Discharge from the penis and testicular pain are also symptoms reported by patients.” explains the specialist.
“In women, on the other hand, gonorrhea is less noisy and can cause problems during a future pregnancy or trigger infertility. It can also cause sepsiswhich can be quite serious.” How can women know if they have been infected?They need to get tested” emphasizes our expert.
A pathology that requires taking antibiotics
Once the diagnosis is made, what will the treatment be?Gonorrhea is a disease that can be treated well, the prescription of Ceftriaxone (an intramuscular injection) is sufficient to treat patients” explains Eric Caumes.
“We often associate it with another antibiotic, doxycyclinebecause in 30% of cases, gonorrhea is accompanied by an infection with ChlamydiaWhen in doubt, patients are systematically treated.“.
Finally, how can we avoid any risk of contamination?There is no secret, wearing the condom remains essential to protect against sexually transmitted diseases” concludes the doctor.