An 11-year-old girl contracts gonorrhea after bathing in a thermal pool while on vacation in Italy

Posted: Nov 16, 2021 12:47 PM GMT

Doctors believe that the moderately warm temperature of the water served as a breeding ground for the infection.

An 11-year-old Austrian girl was infected with gonorrhea after taking a bath in a thermal pool while on vacation in Italy, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports.

His family, including his parents and older sister, had been swimming in the volcanic lake Specchio di Venere (Mirror of Venus) on the island of Pantelaria, off the Sicilian coast. Two days later, the girl began to experience a painful burning sensation and discomfort.

The minor was initially treated with an over-the-counter antifungal cream while the family continued their vacation, after mistaking her discomfort for some type of mild infection. However, the symptoms had not completely subsided when he returned to Austria about two weeks later, prompting his parents to make an appointment with his GP.

Taking into account the timing of the symptoms, the follow-up examinations with the family and the absence of evidence of sexual intercourse, the doctors concluded that the girl was most likely infected during her bath in the thermal pool of Pantelaria.

Subsequently, he was given a standard antibiotic treatment for gonorrhea, which included an injection and a course of pills, and has since made a full recovery.

Doctors believe that the moderately warm temperature of the water served as a breeding ground for the infection. In the report, they described favorable conditions for infection in the Mirror of Venus hot springs as a slightly acidic pool with elevated heat to almost equal to body temperature, all of which may have helped Neisseria gonorrhoeae survive. the bacteria that cause this sexually transmitted infection.

“The public needs to understand that people who bathe in highly frequented shallow thermal pools are at risk of exposure to pathogens through inoculation from other bathers,” the researchers warned. “We suggest that a shower and antibacterial soap be available near the hot springs. A sign should make visitors aware of strict hygiene before entering the pools,” they added.