Latest news with #DGI
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Woman died after ‘rampant STI' invaded her body and attacked her vital organs – 4 signs you must know
A WOMAN died after an untreated STI invaded her body and attacked her vital organs. The unnamed woman from Alaska , who was in her 50s, passed away from disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). 1 Alaskan health officials warned high risk strains of gonorrhoea might be affecting people without symptoms Credit: Alamy This is a rare but serious complication of the sexually transmitted infection It occurs when Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria spreads from the initial site of infection, seeping into the bloodstream and vital organs. DGI is thought to occur in just 0.5 percent of all gonorrhoea cases. The woman arrived at her local emergency department in Anchorage, Alaska, in spring this year, already in a critical condition. Read more on STIs She was in respiratory distress - when the lungs aren't working properly due to serious illness - and was diagnosed with septic shock and heart failure, caused by Further testing revealed her body had been invaded by gonorrhoea bacteria. But the patient wasn't diagnosed with DGI until after she'd passed away. There were no records of her being tested for gonorrhoea prior to her presenting at the emergency department. Most read in Health She'd been treated twice in the prior six months for opioid abuse, according to the Eight cases of DGI were reported in Alaska between January and May 2025, report authors added. How to put a condom on - NHS The cases were spotted after patients were evaluated in emergency departments in Anchorage. Epidemiologic investigations didn't establish connections between any of the DGI cases. While gonorrhoea can be got rid of with antibiotics, some infected people may not get tested or treated as they don't have symptoms of the STI, according to Dr Liz Ohlsen, a staff physician with the Alaska Department of Health who wrote the report. As a result, they run the risk of developing dangerous DGI, she told the Health officials fear that a strain less likely to cause symptoms is circulating in Alaska, Dr Ohlsen went on. 'We think the most likely explanation for the rise in DGI cases is that more people with gonorrhoea are not getting tested and treated in a timely manner," she said. "Asymptomatic infections are thought to pose a greater risk of persistent untreated infection because people are less likely to have sought care." The Alaska Department of Health bulletin warned that people in Anchorage 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 that's thought to carry a higher risk of causing DGI. Symptoms of gonorrhoea Typical symptoms of gonorrhoea include: A thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis Pain when urinating Pain and discomfort in the rectum Lower abdominal pain and bleeding between periods in women and other people with a uterus or ovaries Gonorrhoea can affect other parts of your body that come into contact with semen or vaginal fluid. This can cause: Pain, itching and discharge from your bottom A sore throat Eye redness, pain and discharge However, many people infected with gonorrhoea will have no symptoms, especially for infections in the throat, vagina or rectum. This lack of symptoms makes it important to test regularly when having sex with new or casual partners. If you do get symptoms, they usually start around two weeks after infection, although they sometimes do not appear until many months later. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health complications including: Infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) An infection of the female reproductive system, which includes the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries An infection in the testicles or prostate In rare cases, gonorrhoea bacteria can cause a disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). It can cause frequently results in purple or pus-filled spots on the skin, joint pain, inflamed tendons or septic joint infections. Rarely, DGI can lead to inflammation of the liver, endocarditis - an infection of the inner heart lining - and meningitis. Having gonorrhoea during pregnancy can increase your risk of premature birth and your baby having a low birth weight. There's also a risk the infection could spread to your baby's eyes during birth, which is called gonococcal conjunctivitis. This can cause blindness if it's not treated with antibiotics. "While no specific sexual network has been identified, this strain may be circulating more broadly among persons with gonorrhea infection in Southcentral Alaska," report authors said. "The absence of documented gonorrhoea risk factors in most DGI cases suggests patients may not be asked about or disclosing key sexual history . "Few had symptoms before presenting with DGI, consistent with its progression from untreated mucosal infections. "Asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with GC are less likely to seek health care and may be at a higher risk of persistent untreated infection leading to disseminated infection." In the UK, health officials issued warnings earlier this year over cases of While most gonorrhoea infections can be treated effectively, certain resistant strains "present significant treatment challenges", the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. It warned that increased resistance could one day make the STI 'untreatable'. Meanwhile, the NHS announced it would begin vaccinating people against gonorrhoea come August, after cases of the STI hit a record 85,000 in 2023. Local sexual health clinics will offer the jab to gay and bisexual men, who are most at risk. Patients will receive the 4CMenB vaccine for meningitis B, which has been found to nearly halve the chances of catching Health chiefs reckon they can prevent around 10,000 cases per year. How to avoid STIs In general, sexually transmitted infections are highly preventable. The only method guaranteed to prevent STIs is to avoid any kind of sexual contact, but this method probably won't appeal to everyone! There are things you can do to limit the risk of exposure to infections while still enjoying an active sex life. The best way to avoid most STIs is to use a condom when you have vaginal or anal sex, as well as condoms and dental dams during oral sex. Below are some other things you can do to reduce the chances: Talking honestly with potential partners about your sexual history Getting tested, along with your new partner, before having sex Getting tested once a year Avoiding sex when under the influence of alcohol or drugs Completing a full course of treatment if you or your partner are diagnosed with an STI Not sharing sex toys, or washing them a covering them with a new condom if you do Where appropriate, getting vaccinated against HPV and hepatitis B
Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Woman died after ‘rampant STI' invaded her body and attacked her vital organs – 4 signs you must know
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN died after an untreated STI invaded her body and attacked her vital organs. The unnamed woman from Alaska, who was in her 50s, passed away from disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Alaskan health officials warned high risk strains of gonorrhoea might be affecting people without symptoms Credit: Alamy This is a rare but serious complication of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea. It occurs when Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria spreads from the initial site of infection, seeping into the bloodstream and vital organs. DGI is thought to occur in just 0.5 percent of all gonorrhoea cases. The woman arrived at her local emergency department in Anchorage, Alaska, in spring this year, already in a critical condition. She was in respiratory distress - when the lungs aren't working properly due to serious illness - and was diagnosed with septic shock and heart failure, caused by endocarditis, a potentially fatal infection of the heart's inner lining. Further testing revealed her body had been invaded by gonorrhoea bacteria. But the patient wasn't diagnosed with DGI until after she'd passed away. There were no records of her being tested for gonorrhoea prior to her presenting at the emergency department. She'd been treated twice in the prior six months for opioid abuse, according to the Alaska Department of Health. Eight cases of DGI were reported in Alaska between January and May 2025, report authors added. How to put a condom on - NHS The cases were spotted after patients were evaluated in emergency departments in Anchorage. Epidemiologic investigations didn't establish connections between any of the DGI cases. While gonorrhoea can be got rid of with antibiotics, some infected people may not get tested or treated as they don't have symptoms of the STI, according to Dr Liz Ohlsen, a staff physician with the Alaska Department of Health who wrote the report. As a result, they run the risk of developing dangerous DGI, she told the Alaska Beacon. Health officials fear that a strain less likely to cause symptoms is circulating in Alaska, Dr Ohlsen went on. 'We think the most likely explanation for the rise in DGI cases is that more people with gonorrhoea are not getting tested and treated in a timely manner," she said. "Asymptomatic infections are thought to pose a greater risk of persistent untreated infection because people are less likely to have sought care." The Alaska Department of Health bulletin warned that people in Anchorage 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 that's thought to carry a higher risk of causing DGI. Symptoms of gonorrhoea Typical symptoms of gonorrhoea include: A thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis Pain when urinating Pain and discomfort in the rectum Lower abdominal pain and bleeding between periods in women and other people with a uterus or ovaries Gonorrhoea can affect other parts of your body that come into contact with semen or vaginal fluid. This can cause: Pain, itching and discharge from your bottom A sore throat Eye redness, pain and discharge However, many people infected with gonorrhoea will have no symptoms, especially for infections in the throat, vagina or rectum. This lack of symptoms makes it important to test regularly when having sex with new or casual partners. If you do get symptoms, they usually start around two weeks after infection, although they sometimes do not appear until many months later. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health complications including: Infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) An infection of the female reproductive system, which includes the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries An infection in the testicles or prostate In rare cases, gonorrhoea bacteria can cause a disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). It can cause frequently results in purple or pus-filled spots on the skin, joint pain, inflamed tendons or septic joint infections. Rarely, DGI can lead to inflammation of the liver, endocarditis - an infection of the inner heart lining - and meningitis. Having gonorrhoea during pregnancy can increase your risk of premature birth and your baby having a low birth weight. There's also a risk the infection could spread to your baby's eyes during birth, which is called gonococcal conjunctivitis. This can cause blindness if it's not treated with antibiotics. "While no specific sexual network has been identified, this strain may be circulating more broadly among persons with gonorrhea infection in Southcentral Alaska," report authors said. "The absence of documented gonorrhoea risk factors in most DGI cases suggests patients may not be asked about or disclosing key sexual history. "Few had symptoms before presenting with DGI, consistent with its progression from untreated mucosal infections. "Asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with GC are less likely to seek health care and may be at a higher risk of persistent untreated infection leading to disseminated infection." In the UK, health officials issued warnings earlier this year over cases of "extensively drug resistant" gonorrhoea that aren't responding to antibiotic treatment. While most gonorrhoea infections can be treated effectively, certain resistant strains "present significant treatment challenges", the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. It warned that increased resistance could one day make the STI 'untreatable'. Meanwhile, the NHS announced it would begin vaccinating people against gonorrhoea come August, after cases of the STI hit a record 85,000 in 2023. Local sexual health clinics will offer the jab to gay and bisexual men, who are most at risk. Patients will receive the 4CMenB vaccine for meningitis B, which has been found to nearly halve the chances of catching gonorrhoea in adults. Health chiefs reckon they can prevent around 10,000 cases per year.
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Woman died after ‘rampant STI' invaded her body and attacked her vital organs – 4 signs you must know
A WOMAN died after an untreated STI invaded her body and attacked her vital organs. The unnamed woman from Alaska, who was in her 50s, passed away from disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). 1 This is a rare but serious complication of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea. It occurs when Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria spreads from the initial site of infection, seeping into the bloodstream and vital organs. DGI is thought to occur in just 0.5 percent of all gonorrhoea cases. The woman arrived at her local emergency department in Anchorage, Alaska, in spring this year, already in a critical condition. She was in respiratory distress - when the lungs aren't working properly due to serious illness - and was diagnosed with septic shock and heart failure, caused by endocarditis, a potentially fatal infection of the heart's inner lining. Further testing revealed her body had been invaded by gonorrhoea bacteria. But the patient wasn't diagnosed with DGI until after she'd passed away. There were no records of her being tested for gonorrhoea prior to her presenting at the emergency department. She'd been treated twice in the prior six months for opioid abuse, according to the Alaska Department of Health. Eight cases of DGI were reported in Alaska between January and May 2025, report authors added. How to put a condom on - NHS The cases were spotted after patients were evaluated in emergency departments in Anchorage. Epidemiologic investigations didn't establish connections between any of the DGI cases. While gonorrhoea can be got rid of with antibiotics, some infected people may not get tested or treated as they don't have symptoms of the STI, according to Dr Liz Ohlsen, a staff physician with the Alaska Department of Health who wrote the report. As a result, they run the risk of developing dangerous DGI, she told the Alaska Beacon. Health officials fear that a strain less likely to cause symptoms is circulating in Alaska, Dr Ohlsen went on. 'We think the most likely explanation for the rise in DGI cases is that more people with gonorrhoea are not getting tested and treated in a timely manner," she said. "Asymptomatic infections are thought to pose a greater risk of persistent untreated infection because people are less likely to have sought care." The Alaska Department of Health bulletin warned that people in Anchorage 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 that's thought to carry a higher risk of causing DGI. Symptoms of gonorrhoea Typical symptoms of gonorrhoea include: A thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis Pain when urinating Pain and discomfort in the rectum Lower abdominal pain and bleeding between periods in women and other people with a uterus or ovaries Gonorrhoea can affect other parts of your body that come into contact with semen or vaginal fluid. This can cause: Pain, itching and discharge from your bottom A sore throat Eye redness, pain and discharge However, many people infected with gonorrhoea will have no symptoms, especially for infections in the throat, vagina or rectum. This lack of symptoms makes it important to test regularly when having sex with new or casual partners. If you do get symptoms, they usually start around two weeks after infection, although they sometimes do not appear until many months later. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health complications including: Infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) An infection of the female reproductive system, which includes the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries An infection in the testicles or prostate In rare cases, gonorrhoea bacteria can cause a disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). It can cause frequently results in purple or pus-filled spots on the skin, joint pain, inflamed tendons or septic joint infections. Rarely, DGI can lead to inflammation of the liver, endocarditis - an infection of the inner heart lining - and meningitis. Having gonorrhoea during pregnancy can increase your risk of premature birth and your baby having a low birth weight. There's also a risk the infection could spread to your baby's eyes during birth, which is called gonococcal conjunctivitis. This can cause blindness if it's not treated with antibiotics. "While no specific sexual network has been identified, this strain may be circulating more broadly among persons with gonorrhea infection in Southcentral Alaska," report authors said. "The absence of documented gonorrhoea risk factors in most DGI cases suggests patients may not be asked about or disclosing key sexual history. "Few had symptoms before presenting with DGI, consistent with its progression from untreated mucosal infections. "Asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with GC are less likely to seek health care and may be at a higher risk of persistent untreated infection leading to disseminated infection." In the UK, health officials issued warnings earlier this year over cases of "extensively drug resistant" gonorrhoea that aren't responding to antibiotic treatment. While most gonorrhoea infections can be treated effectively, certain resistant strains "present significant treatment challenges", the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. It warned that increased resistance could one day make the STI 'untreatable'. Meanwhile, the NHS announced it would begin vaccinating people against gonorrhoea come August, after cases of the STI hit a record 85,000 in 2023. Local sexual health clinics will offer the jab to gay and bisexual men, who are most at risk. Patients will receive the 4CMenB vaccine for meningitis B, which has been found to nearly halve the chances of catching gonorrhoea in adults. Health chiefs reckon they can prevent around 10,000 cases per year.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Alaska woman dies from rampant STD after infection spreads throughout her organs
An Alaska woman has died after a rare and severe complication of gonorrhea, health officials report. The unnamed woman, who was in her 50s, died this spring from disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI), which occurs when the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea invades the bloodstream and travels to vital organs. According to the Alaska Department of Health, the woman arrived at her local emergency department in Anchorage in heart failure and septic shock, the body's extreme overreaction to an infection. She had contracted gonorrhea, which affects 700,000 Americans a year, at some point within the previous six months. It's unclear if she had any other health issues other than opioid addiction and if she contracted gonorrhea from a long-term partner. The diagnosis of DGI only came after her death because she declined so quickly. Her cause of death was primarily due to the sepsis and heart failure. The woman's death comes as Alaska records the second-highest rate of STIs in the country, only falling behind Mississippi. Experts believe this is due to weak public health infrastructure and high rates of substance abuse, among other factors. The latest data shows 25 people per 100,000 Alaska residents have gonorrhea, and cases of syphilis have surged 20-fold since 2016. The woman in the report was one of eight Alaskans to be identified with DGI between January and May of this year, the health department said in a bulletin. They ranged in age from 32 to 59, and five of them were women. The average age was 40. There were no other recorded deaths from DGI. None of the patients in the report are thought to be connected to one another. The woman who died had been treated twice in the prior six months for opioid addiction, but there was no record of gonorrhea testing. Gonorrhea is an STI caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which spreads through bodily fluids like semen and vaginal fluids. It can move from person to person through oral sex, intercourse or sharing sex toys with an infected person. Most people with gonorrhea are between ages 15 and 24 and don't have symptoms, though the infection can cause unusual genital discharge, pain during sex, pain during urination, lower abdominal pain, itching, testicular pain in men and bleeding in between periods for women. In DGI, gonorrhea infections travel to the bloodstream and infect organs throughout the body due to the infection going untreated. DGI is thought to occur in just 0.5 percent of all gonorrhea cases. Health officials writing the Alaska report said risk factors for DGI, based on the women's medical records, were methamphetamine and opioid use, alcoholism, injected drug use, homelessness and having multiple sexual partners within a year. Cases of STIs in the US have spiked 90 percent in the last 20 years, but a recent slowdown has been observed. In a 2024 CDC report, reported cases of gonorrhea fell for a second year, declining seven percent from 2022 to below pre-pandemic levels. Alaska's health department recommends adults be tested for gonorrhea if they have at least one of the following risk factors: being under 25 years old, having a new partner, having more than one partner, previous STIs, a history of prostitution or a history of being incarcerated. And people who are sexually active and have a new partner, history of drug use or past STI should be tested every three to six months.
Morocco World
17-06-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco's Tax Revenues Rise Sharply to Reach MAD 220 Billion in 2024
Rabat – Morocco's tax revenues reached record levels in 2024, with net collections amounting to over MAD 220.52 billion ($24.23 billion), according to the annual report released by the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI). The number represents a 16% increase compared to the previous year and a 111% achievement of the targets set by the 2024 Finance Law. Most of these taxes saw strong growth in 2024. Net revenues from corporate tax increased by 12.9%, while income tax revenues rose by 18.9%. VAT revenues surged by 23.8%, and registration duties were up by 7.2%. The report showed that the total net tax revenue was made up of several types of taxes in varying proportions. Corporate Tax (IS) accounted for the largest share at 33.7%, followed by Income Tax (IR) which represented 29.1%. Value-Added Tax (VAT) contributed 19.5%, while Registration and Stamp Duties made up 11.7%. Solidarity Contributions on profits and income added 3.4%, and Penalties and other taxes accounted for 2.3%. Other mandatory contributions managed by the DGI represented a smaller share of 0.3%. In gross terms, total tax revenues reached MAD 242.48 billion ($26.58 billion), marking a 16.1% rise from 2023 and surpassing the 2024 Finance Law target by 14.9%. The DGI also reported that refunds, tax reliefs, and reimbursements totaled nearly MAD 22 billion ($2.4 billion), an increase of 19.6% compared to 2023. The achievement rate for refunds reached 168.1% of what was planned under the Finance Law. The report noted that this performance was made possible by several reforms and the growing digitalization of tax services, which helped simplify procedures for taxpayers and improve transparency. Morocco has been working in recent years to modernize its tax system, reduce the informal economy, and ensure fair contributions from all sectors. Tags: 2024economyTAXtax revenues
