Young Child Contracts Gonorrhea After Swimming In Hot Spring

A young girl has recovered after contracting gonorrhea from swimming in a hot spring while on vacation.

The 11-year-old girl originally from Austria was vacationing with her parents and older sister on the island of Pantelleria, located off the coast of Sicily. During a swim in lake Specchio di Venere, or “Mirror of Venus,” the child was infected with the disease that is usually transmitted through sexual intercourse. Two days after swimming in the warm water, she began experiencing symptoms, including a burning sensation.

The family initially purchased over-the-counter antifungal medication for the child while still on vacation. However, by the time they returned home two weeks later, she was still enduring symptoms. An appointment with a physician prompted tests, which confirmed that she had the disease. A follow-up exam found that the child had “no evidence” of engaging in sexual intercourse. Doctors concluded through the timing of her symptoms and the water’s estimated temperatures that she became infected in the hot spring. Other members of her family tested negative.

Luckily, the girl was prescribed standard antibiotic treatment for gonorrhea and has since made a full recovery.

Her case is not unusual, as researchers have previously warned about the dangers of swimming in mild to warm pools of water, where bacteria can thrive.

Gonococcus infection probably acquired from bathing in a natural thermal pool: a case report https://t.co/LhdtWVnapN

— Journal of Medical Case Reports (@jmedcasereports) September 17, 2021