Gonorrhea

What is it?

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacteria Neiseria gonorrhoeae, and is considered the oldest and one of the most common of the STIs (first reported in 1879). It is estimated that about 700,000 new cases occur each year with the largest infection rates among teens and young adults.7,8*

How do you get it?

Gonorrhea is 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 with gonorrhea have no symptoms.

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
• Swollen testicles

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 clinician uses a swab to remove cells from the cervix in women and the urethra in men. The culture is then sent to a lab.

Treatment

Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics by injection or antibiotics taken orally, as prescribed by a health care provider.

What happens if you don’t get treated?

If gonorrhea is not treated:

• You can give gonorrhea to your sexual partner(s)
• A more serious infection can occur, possibly damaging reproductive organs
• Both men and women may no longer be able to have children
• A mother with gonorrhea can give it to her baby during childbirth, causing blindness

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