What is gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is an STI that is easily transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse.

In women, untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (temporary or chronic), which may lead to infertility. At times, this inflammation can increase the probability of ectopic pregnancy.

In men, testicular inflammation can also lead to infertility.

What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?

Symptoms may appear between 2 and 14 days after infection.

Some women infected with gonorrhea have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may be mild, nonspecific, and mistaken for a urinary tract infection.

Symptoms include:

• Pain or burning when urinating
• Abnormal vaginal discharge (greenish in colour or with a foul smell)
• Bleeding between menstrual periods
• Fever.

Men may also be asymptomatic carriers. When symptoms appear, they may include:

• Urethral discharge (white, green, or yellow)
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Anal itching
• Bleeding
• Testicular and abdominal pain
• Fever.

Rectal infection in both men and women may include itching, discharge, bleeding, and pain that radiates to the intestinal area.

When gonorrhea infects the throat, it may cause inflammation and pain, although most of the time no symptoms appear.

All sexually active people should be tested for gonorrhea once a year, whenever they have unprotected sex, or when symptoms appear.

If you have any of the symptoms described, if any of your partners has recently been diagnosed with gonorrhea, or if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you should get tested.

Gonorrhea can be diagnosed through a urine test or by detecting the bacteria in samples collected from the urethra, rectum, vagina, or pharynx.

How you can become infected with gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea can be transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids during unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex. A pregnant woman can pass the infection to the baby during childbirth; in such cases, the baby may develop blindness or a systemic infection.

To protect yourself, you should use condoms in all sexual practices.

How to treat gonorrhea?

This infection is caused by a bacterium and can be treated with antibiotics or a combination of antibiotics.

If left untreated, gonorrhea can cause serious problems in the infected areas - usually the genitals, rectum, and throat - but also in other mucous membranes such as the eyes.

Untreated cases may allow the bacteria to enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, causing dermatitis, arthritis, and even death.

Partners of people diagnosed with gonorrhea are usually advised to undergo treatment as well.