Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It typically infects warm, moist parts of the body such as the:

vagina
throat
urethra
anus
eyes
cervix

Gonorrhea is almost always transmitted from person to person through anal, vaginal, or oral sex without a barrier method

Symptom and signs of gonorrhea

Symptoms usually occur within 2 to 14 days after exposure with most symptoms appearing between 4 and 6 days.

Most people with gonorrhea are asymptomatic, whereas others have

Female

vaginal discharge
pain during sex
lower abdominal pain
burning sensation during urinating
sore throat
heavier periods or spotting

Male

discharge from the penis
burning sensation during urinating
sore throat
purulent discharge
urinary frequency and urgency

Diagnosis

Early diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhea reduces the risk of complications.

Gonorrhea can be diagnosed by:

Gram staining and culture
Nucleic acid-based testing

People infected with gonorrhea should also be tested for other sexual transmitted diseases such as syphilis, HIV, and chlamydia. Gonorrhea increases the risk of these infection.

Complications of Gonorrhea

People with untreated gonorrhea are at greater risk for complications

pelvic inflammatory disease(PID). It can also be caused by other conditions as well. PID can cause severe pain and damage to the reproductive organs leading to infertility in both women and men.

increase risk of other sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV
Gonorrhea can also cause miscarriage and premature labour in pregnancy women.
Babies can also contract gonorrhea during birth from their mothers which can develop sores on the scalp and conjunctivitis which can lead to vision damage.

Treatment of gonorrhea

Treated of gonorrhea typically involves antibiotics. Injection of a single dose of 250mg of ceftriaxone intramuscularly and 1 gram of oral azithromycin. However, there are other antibiotics which can also be used to treate gonorrhea.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae have developed resistance to many antibiotics. Contact your health care provider if there is no improvement after being on treatment for few days.

It is recommended for sexual partners of infected person tested and treated even if he or she has no signs and symptoms

Prevention of gonorrhea