Remington gonorrhea billboard sparks local curiosity

BALTIMORE -- A billboard in Remington has a lot of people talking.

The ad is hard to miss and is spreading awareness about sexually transmitted infections and diseases.

"I think it is pretty bold," Matthew Reeds of Baltimore said.

It says in large letters, "Drug resistant gonorrhea alert."

"I feel like it's not really normal for STD clinics to advertise at all, which should change," Evan Casas of Baltimore said.

The billboard also features a ship crashing into an iceberg.

It was paid for by the AIDs Healthcare Foundation, a California based nonprofit that provides HIV care to those in need.  The organization has a center on St. Paul Street.

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection. According to a report from the state health department in 2019, it's the second most frequently reported infectious disease nationwide. Maryland reported more than 11,000 cases of it in 2019.

WJZ  spoke with the Director of Infectious Diseases at Sinai Hospital, Dr. Kjell Wiberg.

"Gonorrhea has been increasing the drug resistance for years," Dr. Wiberg said.

He says rates have been on the rise recently and it's possible gonorrhea could become incurable one day.

"The fact that this is drug-resistant means that it's much harder to cure and there's a possibility that we don't have any antibiotic options to cure it," Dr. Wiberg said.

Dr. Wiberg said cases of drug-resistant gonorrhea have been found in other countries and that there have been two cases in Massachusetts.

According to Dr. Wiberg the best way to prevent the spread is to use protection and make sure you're getting tested.

It's really important if you have a concern that you check it out," Dr. Wiberg said.