A well-known sexually transmitted infection is causing heightened concern in Alaska. Local health officials reported the death of a woman in her 50s from a rare complication of gonorrhea, which is becoming increasingly common in the state.
On Monday, the Alaska Department of Health detailed the tragic death in its latest epidemiology bulletin. The woman succumbed to an untreated gonorrhea infection that had spread throughout her body. Health officials are worried that novel strains of the bacteria may be behind a spike in similar cases reported in the area over the past three years.
Understanding Gonorrhea and Its Complications
Gonorrhea, caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is one of the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. In 2023, over 600,000 cases were documented in the U.S. alone. Common symptoms include discolored genital discharge, painful urination, and in men, swollen testicles, while women may experience bleeding between periods. However, gonorrhea can be asymptomatic, which makes it particularly dangerous as it can lead to infertility and increase the risk of contracting other STIs. If transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, it can cause severe complications like blindness in newborns.
Occasionally, the bacteria can migrate from their usual sites of infection, such as the genitals or throat, to other parts of the body. This complication is known as disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). DGIs can lead to various health issues, including arthritis or skin lesions. In rare cases, the infection can become lethal if it reaches vital areas like the heart or bloodstream.
A Closer Look at the Alaskan Case
In this particular case, the woman visited a local emergency room in Anchorage earlier this spring with symptoms of respiratory distress. She was diagnosed with septic shock and heart failure caused by endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart’s inner lining. Tests confirmed the widespread presence of gonorrhea bacteria in her body and bloodstream. Soon after, she succumbed to her infection.
While DGI is rare, and deaths from it even rarer, something unusual appears to be happening in Alaska. Since 2023, there has been a marked increase in reported DGI cases. In 2024, there were 24 documented cases—three times higher than the eight cases reported in 2023 and ten times higher than the two cases in 2022. So far in 2025, eight cases have been reported, still well above the typical average in Alaska and the U.S. as a whole.
Emerging Strains and Public Health Concerns
In many of these cases, including the latest one, individuals experienced few or no symptoms of gonorrhea prior to developing DGI. They often had no clear risk factors for an STI and sometimes even tested negative on standard urine and genital swab tests for gonorrhea. Although officials have not identified a specific link or chain of transmission between these cases, they suspect that emerging strains of gonorrhea could be responsible for the local rise in DGI. These strains might be more likely to cause DGI or less likely to cause initial symptoms, allowing infections to go untreated at a higher rate than usual.
“People in the Anchorage area with a new sexual partner, more than one sexual partner, or a partner with multiple partners might be at risk of acquiring a strain of N. gonorrhoeae thought to carry a higher risk of causing DGI,” the health department stated in its bulletin.
Officials are recommending that people with these risk factors get regularly tested for gonorrhea every three to six months.
Antibiotic Resistance: A Growing Threat
This isn’t the only recent challenge posed by gonorrhea. Other strains of the bacteria have increasingly evolved resistance to the last remaining frontline drugs available against it. These cases of “super gonorrhea,” while still rare, are spreading. Just last month, researchers reported the first such case discovered in Canada.
The emergence of drug-resistant strains underscores the urgent need for new treatments and preventive measures. Public health experts emphasize the importance of awareness, regular testing, and safe sexual practices to mitigate the spread of both traditional and drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea.
As Alaska grapples with this public health challenge, the situation serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of infectious diseases and the need for vigilance in monitoring and responding to new threats.
