Sexually transmitted disease: Gonorrhoea

What is gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoea that can infect the urogenital tract of women including cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes in women and urethra in both women and men. It can also infect membranes of the mouth, throat, eyes and rectum.

How do people get gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea is transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth or anus of an infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to occur for its transmission. It can also spread from mother to child during childbirth.

Who is at risk for gonorrhoea?

Any sexually active person can be infected. More common among sexually active people both young and adults.

What are the signs and symptoms of   gonorrhoea?

# Many men remain asymptomatic. 

# Urethral discharge, white yellow or green in colour within one to fourteen days of exposure. 

# Women mostly remain asymptomatic, sometimes mild infection occurs and mistaken as urinary or vaginal infection. 

# Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and women may include discharge, anal itching. Pharyngeal infection may cause sore throat.

What are the complications of gonorrhoea?

Untreated gonorrhoea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men.

In women it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and eventually can give rise to ectopic pregnancy and infertility. 

In men, it can cause epididymitis and subsequently lead to infertility. 

It can also cause disseminated gonococcal infection like arthritis, tenosynovitis or dermatitis. 

Untreated gonorrhoea can increase a person’s risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

How does gonorrhoea affect pregnant women?

During delivery the baby might get infected while passing through the birth/vaginal canal of the infected mother. This can cause blindness, joint infections or life threatening blood infections in the baby.

Who should be tested for gonorrhoea?

Any sexually active person can be infected. Anyone with genital symptoms such as discharge, burning during urination, unusual sores or rash should stop having sex and see a health care provider immediately. 

Also anyone with an oral, anal or vaginal sex partner who has been recently diagnosed with an STD should see a health care provider for evaluation. 

Some high risk people who work for the sex industries should be screened for gonorrhoea even if they do not possess symptoms. 

People who have gonorrhoea should also be tested for other STDs.

How is gonorrhoea diagnosed?

Urogenital gonorrhoea can be diagnosed by testing urine, urethral (for men), or endocervical or vaginal (for women) specimens. 

In case of infections in other sites, the swabs from specific site should be collected for culture.

What is the treatment for gonorrhea?

Gonorrhoea can be treated with antibiotics. Generally it is treated by dual therapy (using two drugs). The course of antibiotic should be taken in proper dose.

What about partners?

If a person has been diagnosed and treated for gonorrhoea, he or she should ask all recent sexual partners to go and have evaluation with the health care provider. This will reduce the risk that the sex partners will develop serious complications and will also reduce the person’s risk of becoming re infected.

How can gonorrhoea BE prevented?

Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhoea. 

The surest way to avoid transmission of gonorrhoea or other STDs is to abstain from vaginal, anal and oral sex or to be in a long term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be
uninfected.

If you need free and impartial advice regarding Gonorrhoea do not hesitate to contact Dr Nawsher Labib, General Practitioner, with more than 15 years of medical experience, is currently at Middle East Medical Center-Hidd, 17464848.