Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the organism Neisseria Gonorrhea and passed on via vaginal, anal or oral sex. It is site specific, i.e. if you perform oral sex on someone who has vaginal or penile gonorrhea you can get the infection in the throat.
Similarly if someone has the infection in the throat and they perform oral sex on another person, the other person could get the infection in their genitals. Also, depending on where you have got the infection the symptoms will differ.
Symptoms of gonorrhea
Men
- Penile discharge (usually a thick yellow or green liquid coming out of the penis)
- Dysuria (pain or stinging sensation whilst urinating)
- Asymptomatic (no specific symptoms)
Women
- Usually asymptomatic
- Vaginal or urethral discharge
- Lower abdominal pain
- Dysuria (painful urination) in the absence of frequency
It is important to note that the infection can be passed on through anal or oral sex.
Rectal
- Usually asymptomatic
- Anal discharge
- Anal pain
Throat
- Usually asymptomatic
As you can see from the above symptoms it is vital to have routine swabs done from the throat and the rectum if you have sexual contact at these sites, as the infection can otherwise go unnoticed and can be passed on to regular sexual partners.
Diagnosis
We can test for if you are infected from one week post contact or if you already have symptoms.
- Urine testing for men with suspected penile gonorrhea is usually the screening test, although sometimes we will take a swab if there is a discharge present
- A vaginal swab test in women, but we are also able to do urine testing if you prefer not to have an intimate exam
- For throat and rectal infections we do a painless swab test
Results are usually available within 24-48 hours.
Treatment
The treatment for gonorrhea has recently changed and now requires an injection with a one off dose of antibiotics. We can treat you onsite.
We would advise no sex for a at least a week after treatment and possibly till a test of cure, now recommended in the guidelines, is performed.
It is also vital to inform any sexual partners so that they can get tested and treated.
Complications
Gonorrhea can spread to the epididymis (testis) and prostate in men and the endometrium and pelvic organs in women which can lead to further problems if left untreated.