Strains of Neisseria gonorrhea — which is resistant to antibiotics — are becoming more and more common, and will soon be out of control.

Research by Chinese scientists found that between 2013 and 2016, rates of dually-resistant gonorrhea in China almost doubled from 1.9% to 3.3%.

And they warned that this particular strain is a global threat.

Gonorrhea is the most common of all STDs, and 80 million cases are reported each year around the world.

Scientists fear that millions more cases go undiagnosed, as some patients don't show any symptoms.

Untreated, gonorrhea can lead to infertility and other health problems.

Infection rates have risen sharply in the west in recent years, and the disease is becoming harder to treat.

According to research by Superdrug, the UK has some of the highest rates of gonorrhea in Europe between 2000 and 2013, with 34.6 cases per 100,000 residents.

Only Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine had higher rates.

Scientists are now looking at ways to treat the disease.

One team at Oregon State University in the US this week have found a new form of therapy which could treat even the most antibiotic-resistant form of gonorrhea.

Recently there was an outbreak of ocular syphilis — an STD that sends sufferers blind.

And last year the Daily Star revealed that thousands of British troops have caught STDs in the past five years.