Gonorrhea is an infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A person can get gonorrhea more than once in their lifetime.
What is gonorrhea?
Why get tested?
A person who has had unprotected sex should see a health care provider who will assess the need for testing. The test is done through a urine sample or a sample of secretions from the vagina, urethra, anus or throat. Testing prevents transmission and complications.
The test is done through a urine sample or a sample of secretions from the vagina, urethra, anus or throat.
When to consult for gonorrhea?
Individuals with symptoms or unprotected contact should seek testing.
Gonorrhea is often called a 'silent disease' because many people have no symptoms and don't know they have it. Symptoms usually appear 2 to 10 days after transmission, but they can take even longer to manifest.
Signs and symptoms
Most infected persons show no symptoms. However, some symptoms may be present in the affected parts of the body, often 2 to 10 days after transmission:
Unusual vaginal discharge
Pain during sexual intercourse
Burning sensation when urinating
Clear or colored discharge from the urinary meatus or anus
Vaginal bleeding after sex or between periods
Pain in the testicles, anus area, or lower abdomen
Newborns may develop eye inflammation (conjunctivitis) or lung infection (pneumonia) if infected by their mother at the time of delivery.
Eye infection (conjunctivitis): discharge and redness
Generalized infection: blood infection (septicemia)
Transmission
- • Oral sex (contact of the mouth with the penis, vulva, vagina or anus)
- • Vaginal intercourse (penetration of the penis into the vagina)
- • Anal sex (penetration of the penis into the anus)
- • Contact between genitals
- • Sharing sex toys
- • Transmission from mother to baby at birth
Window or incubation period (time interval before the disease is detectable during screening)
• 7 days
Prevention
Condom use during all sexual contact provides primary protection. It must be used during any contact between genitals and during every oral, vaginal or anal sexual encounter. Dental dams (latex squares) protect during oral contact. It is also recommended not to share sex toys, or to cover them with a condom when possible, being sure to change the condom between each partner.
Possible complications
If left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to the following problems:
• Infertility
• Prostate inflammation
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Epididymitis (inflammation of the tube at the back of the testicle)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease in women (infection that spreads from the vagina to the uterus, which can lead to infertility)
• Chronic lower abdominal pain
Gonorrhea treatment
Since gonorrhea is a bacterial infection, it can be treated with antibiotic tablets.
Since the infected person can transmit the disease even during treatment, sexual abstinence is recommended during treatment and for 7 days following. If sexual contact cannot be avoided during this period, it is essential to use a condom.
After receiving the diagnosis, sexual partners within 60 days prior to the onset of symptoms should be contacted for testing and treatment if necessary. This will help break the chain of transmission of the disease.
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