A worker places condoms onto a packaging belt at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in the town of Zhaoyuan, located 100 km (62 miles) south of the city of Yantai, Shandong Province February 6, 2012.
A worker places condoms onto a packaging belt at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in the town of Zhaoyuan, located 100 km (62 miles) south of the city of Yantai, Shandong Province February 6, 2012. Reuters/David Gray

A sex superbug is becoming a cause for concern in New Zealand as a new strain of gonorrhea was discovered in Auckland. Sexual health experts in the country warned that gonorrhea was known to develop antiobiotic resistance. Gonorrhea treatments are reportedly no longer effective like in the past.

According to the New Zealand Society, no reports have been made in New Zealand about the failure of treatments, but experts have identified a "decreased susceptibility" to one effective treatment in Auckland. The Society released a statement that indicated there were no new treatment options available on the horizon. New guidelines were also released on how to manage and detect gonorrhea in response to growing concerns about the disease, the New Zealand Herald reports.

Reports of untreatable gonorrhea superbug have emerged overseas. The antibiotic treatment of gonorrhea is decreasing around the world due to the superbug's resistance, the Society said. The World Health Organisation has requested all countries to release their own guidelines in the prevention and diagnosis of gonorrhea in response to the growing threat.

New Zealand Sexual Health society president Dr Edward Coughlan said that infection from gonorrhea did not always cause symptoms to appear. He urged sexually active people including gays and bisexuals to have their annual health checkup. Dr Anne Robertson, one of the country's guideline authors, said it is important for specialists to notify health authorities of suspected treatment failure for early detection and containment of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea.

The Society encourages regular sexual health checks for population groups at risk including the use of condoms. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, gonorrhea is a common infection especially among individuals aged 15 to 24 years old.

The Institute of Environmental Science and Research dubbed the Gisborne region of North Island as the gonorrhea or "clap capital." In 2011, the Ministry of Health revealed the region had a gonorrhea infection rate five times the national average.

Meanwhile, the global fight against superbugs will get a boost when Merck & Co buys Cubist Pharmaceuticals to develop drugs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. According to Fortune, the deal is valued at $9.5 billion.