HiTOPS.org ~ Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea

What is it?

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacteria Neiseria gonorrhoeae, and is considered the oldest of the STD's (first reported in 1879). About 650,000 new cases occur each year.

How do you get it?

Spread during vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse with someone who has gonorrhea.

Incubation period

If symptoms occur, they often show up 2 - 10 days after having sex.

Symptoms

Most women and some men usually have NO symptoms, otherwise:

Symptoms for women include:

Unusually heavy discharge from the vagina
Burning or pain during urination
Bleeding between periods
Cramps and pain in the lower abdomen

Symptoms for men include:

Thick yellow or white drip from the penis
Burning or pain during urination

Both men and women with gonorrhea in the throat will complain of a sore throat that doesn’t go away.

Diagnosis

To test for gonorrhea, a health care provider uses a swab to collect a sample from the cervix in women. The testing for men uses a urine sample. Males requesting gonorrhea or chlamydia testing should not urinate for two hours before the test.

Treatment

Antibiotics by injection or antibiotics taken orally.

What happens if you don't get treated?

You can give gonorrhea to your sexual partner(s).
A more serious infection can occur, possibly damaging reproductive organs and causing infertility.
A mother with gonorrhea can give it to her baby during childbirth, causing blindness.

Note: All sexual partners of anyone treated for an STD must also be treated. If you are treated for an STD and do not tell your partner(s) to get treatment, the STD will spread rapidly and you could be re-infected. Using a condom every time you have sex can help keep you well.