Health officials reportedly announced two cases of a resistant strain of gonorrhea, dubbed the "sex superbug,"in Hawaii but then later conflicting reports said that the reports are false.
But some experts still call the drug-resistant strain more threatening than AIDS.
"This might be a lot worse than AIDS in a short run because the bacteria is more aggressive and will affect more people quickly," said Alan Christianson, a doctor of neuropathic medicine.
"Getting gonorrhea from this strain might put someone into septic shock and death in a matter of days. This is very dangerous."
And although the reports about the case in Hawaii are false, experts still say the threat is real.
"The sky is not falling -- yet," said Dr. Kimberly Workowski, a professor of infectious disease at Emory University in Atlanta.
The Centers for Disease for Disease Control and Prevention has requested $50 million from Congress to try and find an antibiotic effective against the drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea, also known as H041.
In a briefing in Washington, D.C. last week, executive director of the National Coalition for STD Directors William Smith urged Congress to contribute $54 million for research aiming to find a cure for the disease, as well as to fund an education and public awareness campaign.
While no deaths have been confirmed as a result of H041, experts say that prevention is the best form of protection.
"People need to practice safe sex, like always. Anyone beginning a new relationship should get tested along with their partner," Christianson said.
"The way gonorrhea works, not everyone knows they have it. And with this new strain it's even more important than ever to find out."
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