Gonorrhea
What is it?
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted
disease that affects the mucous membranes
of the genital, urinary, and
gastrointestinal tracts—the cervix,
urethra, and rectum—but can also affect
the mucous membranes of the throat and
eyes.
Who gets it?
Anyone who is sexually active can get
gonorrhea. Young adults are at the highest
risk because they are more likely to have
more than one sexual partner and to be
more careless about using some type of
barrier protection, such as condoms. The
disease affects women and men differently.
What causes it?
Bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae
cause gonorrhea. These bacteria are highly
contagious and spread through sexual
contact.
What are the symptoms?
In women, gonorrhea often presents no
symptoms until the disease has progressed.
Symptoms can occur within 7 to 21 days of
contact with an infected person, but they
are usually so mild that they are ignored.
More severe symptoms can include pain
during intercourse, abdominal pain,
frequent need to urinate, painful
urination, irregular bleeding between
menstrual periods, thick vaginal
discharge, fever, and rectal itching or
discharge. Gonorrhea of the throat often
causes no symptoms, but may cause a sore
throat. When gonorrhea affects the mucous
membranes of the eyes it is called
gonococcal conjunctivitis, with symptoms
including swelling and discharge. A
pregnant woman with gonorrhea can pass the
disease on to the infant during delivery.
The newborn’s eyes are affected, which can
result in permanent blindness.
Complications from untreated gonorrhea can
be serious. They include pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID), which can
cause infertility, and bloodstream
infections that can affect the joints,
brain, and heart. The covering of the
liver can also be infected. Many patients
with gonorrhea also have Chlamydia, an
infection that inflames the urethra and
cervix.
How is it diagnosed?
If your doctor suspects you have
gonorrhea, he will discuss your symptoms
with you and ask you about your sexual
history. Gonorrhea is diagnosed by
collecting a sample of secretions from the
infected person’s vagina, rectum, or
throat, depending upon the suspected area
of infection. Then, the secretion is
placed in a growing medium and allowed to
multiply for a couple of days. This is
called a culture. Doctors can identify the
Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria once it has
multiplied. Your doctor may also order a
test called enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay (ELISA), which is a blood test also
used to detect HIV antibodies. The fastest
way to check for the Neisseria gonorrhoeae
bacteria is by examining a sample of
discharge from the infected person under a
microscope. When the discharge is stained
with a special dye, this test is called a
Gram stain. However, this type of
diagnostic test is less effect in
diagnosing gonorrhea in women. Your doctor
may also ask for a urine specimen to test
for the presence of bacteria. All doctors
are required by law to report gonorrhea to
a public health agency. You should notify
any sex partners you have had since you
may have become infected so they can be
tested.
What is the treatment?
Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics,
and can be cured if treated promptly.
Medication to treat Chlamydia is given at
the same time. When gonorrhea has spread
through the bloodstream, the patient may
be hospitalized and treated with
intravenous antibiotics. Do not have
sexual intercourse with anyone until you
have finished your medication as directed
and your doctor has confirmed that you are
cured.
Self-care tips
The best way to prevent gonorrhea is to
practice safe sex with just one partner or
abstain from sex. You can protect yourself
against many sexually transmitted diseases
by using condoms.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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