Gonorrhea

General Information
Gonorrhea is a bacteria that can cause several types of infections in humans. It is primarily transmitted from one person to another through sexual contact. It is also possible for an infected mother to pass the infection her infant at birth.

Symptoms
Many people who are infected with Gonorrhea have no symptoms so a person can "carry" the bacteria for many years without knowing they are infected, and can unknowingly infect others over time.

80% of women infected with Gonorrhea have NO symptoms. Possible symptoms are:

• Increased vaginal discharge
• Irregular menstrual bleeding
• Burning with urination
• Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which may combine some of the above with a fever and a general feeling of illness
• Continuous low back or abdominal pain
• Sore throat
• Irritation of the anus or rectum

Men infected with Gonorrhea are more likely than women to have symptoms, but it is still important to remember that 60% of men may not be aware of the infection either. Symptoms that men may have are:

• Burning with urination
• Cloudy urine with pus or blood
• Slight discharge from the penis
• Swollen glands in the groin
• Pain in the testicles
• Continuous low back or abdominal pain
• Sore throat
• Irritation of the anus or rectum

Possible Complications
If someone has Gonorrhea and does not receive proper treatment they could have the following complications:
Women

• PID (infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and surrounding tissues)
• Chronic infection
• Extreme pain in the pelvic area
• Difficulty or inability to become pregnant
• Joint disease
  Men
• Scars in the penis making it difficult and painful to urinate.
• Scars in the testicles and other reproductive organs causing sterility.
• Joint disease

Who is at risk?

• Young, sexually active women and men have the highest rates of infection but anyone who is sexually active may be at risk. The more partners you have, the higher your risk for infection.
• Mothers who have Gonorrhea during vaginal delivery are likely to pass on the infection. A baby who contracts Gonorrhea during delivery could develop a potentially fatal infection, blindness, or damaged joints.

Prevention

• Get tested for Gonorrhea annually if you have a new sexual partner(s) or if your sexual partner has a new partner(s) or you think he/she may not be monogomous.
• Know the signs and symptoms of the infection and check for them on both you and your partner.
• Treat all infections according to your clinician’s directions.
• Always practice safe sex:
  • Have your partner(s) tested
  • Use a barrier method like condoms that can offer some protection against Gonorrhea.
  • Birth control pills DO NOT offer protection against Gonorrhea.

Testing

• If you would like to be tested for Gonorrhea a culture will be taken from your cervix if you are a woman, and from your urethral canal if you are a man.
• Gonorrhea testing can also be done from a urine specimen.
• If one person tests positive for Gonorrhea ALL of her/his current/recent sexual contacts should be notified, tested, and treated.
  

Treatment

• Several antibiotics can treat Gonorrhea. Because most people who have been exposed to Gonorrhea have also been exposed to Chlamydia most clinicians will treat for both infections at the same time. Take as directed.
• Antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth controls so be sure to use back-up methods until you start your next cycle.
• Abstain from intercourse during the time that you and/or your partner are being treated for Gonorrhea.
• Continue to abstain or use condoms until the infected party has had a 6-week follow-up “test of cure” indicating whether treatment was successful.

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