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Three Simple Facts:
- Gonorrhea is curable.
- Gonorrhea infection makes HIV transmission easier.
- Gonorrhea can cause:
- Unusual discharge from the vagina
- Discharge from the penis
- Pain when you urinate (pee)
- Abdominal pain (women)
Additional Information:
- Gonorrhea can easily be cured with antibiotics.
- Gonorrhea can lead to unusual discharge from the vagina and/or bleeding in women.
- Gonorrhea can cause discharge from the penis and/or burning while urinating (peeing) in men.
- Gonorrhea is usually passed by vaginal or anal sex, and sometimes by oral sex.
- Gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and testicle infection (epididymitis) in men.
- Gonorrhea can lead to infertility in women.
- It is important for pregnant women to be tested for gonorrhea.
Risk:
- What do you think are your risks?
- What do you do to reduce your risk of getting an STD?
Recognition:
- What are your symptoms?
- Do you know that some STDs cause NO symptoms?
Response:
- Stop having sex.
- Get tested and treated at a clinic or doctor’s office .
- Treat your partner(s). This reduces reinfection.
What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacteria known scientifically as the gonococcus, or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea is sometimes called “the clap”. Most infections involve the cervix and vagina, the penis, the rectum or sometimes the throat. Gonorrhea is easily treated with a single dose of antibiotic.
How many Americans have gonorrhea?
It is estimated that 500,000 to 600,000 cases of gonorrhea occur annually in the United States. Health economists estimate that the annual cost of gonorrhea and its complications is close to $1.1 billion.
What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?
About 50% of all infected women and 5-10% of the men with gonorrhea have no symptoms.
If symptoms occur, they usually develop 2 days to 10 days after catching the infection. These are the main symptoms, shown from most common to less common:
MEN
- Discharge from the penis, usually yellowish
- Pain or burning feeling while urinating
WOMEN
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Painful urination
- Spotty bleeding between menstrual periods or after sex
- Pain in the lower abdomen
RECTAL INFECTION
- Discharge from the anus
- Anal itching
- Painful bowel movements
- Blood or mucus on the feces
What happens to me if I have gonorrhea?
The infection may spread inside the body if it is not treated. There, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and epidydimitis in men, two very serious illnesses. Rarely, the gonococcus can get into the blood and cause a kind of arthritis and other problems.
PID results when untreated infections in women such as chlamydia or gonorrhea spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes. PID is a serious health problem that can result in infertility, pelvic pain that can go on for months or years, or tubal pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Symptoms of PID include pain in the lower abdomen or back, fever, spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods, pain during sex, and increased vaginal discharge.
Epidydimitis results when untreated infections in men such as chlamydia or gonorrhea spread up the male reproductive system to reach the testicles. This leads to pain or swelling in the scrotal area, which is a sign of inflammation of a part of the testicle called the epididymis. Epididymitis often is very painful and, if it involves both testicles, can lead to infertility.
Disseminated Gonococcal Infection occurs when gonorrhea bacteria get in the blood. This complication is rare but can be very serious. The main symptoms are joint pain and swelling, fever and skin rash.
How is gonorrhea transmitted?
Gonorrhea is transmitted through unprotected vaginal or anal sex with an infected partner. Sometimes it is transmitted by oral sex, but not by kissing. Gonorrhea can also be transmitted from a woman to her newborn baby during birth.
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is more easy to catch or to give if either partner also has gonorrhea.
How do I avoid infection with gonorrhea?
- Abstinence from sexual activity is the surest way to avoid becoming infected with gonorrhea–not having any anal, oral or vaginal sex.
- The next surest way is to limit sex to one uninfected partner who only has sex with you–mutual monogamy.
- For those choosing to be sexually active outside longstanding, permanent relationship, condoms should be used correctly and consistently to minimize transmission.
- Avoid sex if suspicious symptoms are present. If you think you could have gonorrhea (or any STD), seek immediate care at a local STD clinic, hospital, or medical practitioner.
- Before having sex, talk with your partner(s) about gonorrhea and other STDs. Work out a risk reduction strategy with them that feels comfortable to both of you.
If you have gonorrhea (or anySTD), notify all sex partners so that they can also seek and obtain treatment.
How do I find out if I have gonorrhea? (Diagnosis)
Gonorrhea is diagnosed by doing a test for the gonococcus (the bacteria that causes the infection) from sites that might have been exposed. Usually this means taking a swab from the penis in men, from the cervix in women (during a pelvic exam), and often from the rectum-and sometimes from the throat. Sometimes urine can be tested. When a man has a discharge from the penis, it is often possible to test for the gonococcus by looking at the discharge with a microscope; this test takes only a few minutes. Otherwise the specimen is sent to a laboratory for testing and results are available a few days later. Tests for gonorrhea usually become positive 3 – 7 days after catching the infection.
What is the treatment for gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea usually is treated with a single dose of an antibiotic. Treatment usually can be given by mouth, but sometimes an injection is required. Because gonorrhea and chlamydia often occur together, persons with gonorrhea usually are also treated at with an antibiotic against chlamydia.
Important: Many common antibiotics do not work against gonorrhea. Never treat yourself with an antibiotic left over from another prescription.
People should not have sex for 7 days after treatment is completed. Recent sex partners must also be treated. A couple must not have sex until both have completed treatment; otherwise they may reinfect one another.
PID, epididymitis, and disseminated gonococcal infection are serious complications and require treatment for at least a week.
Follow-up: Everyone with gonorrhea should be re-tested 3 – 4 months after treatment. Public Health routinely contacts patients or their health care providers after three months to remind them about repeat testing.
If you have gonorrhea:
Take all of the prescribed medicine, even if your symptoms go away before you have completed treatment.
If the symptoms do not go away within a week after finishing treatment, go to your doctor or clinic again.
It is very important to tell your sex partners that you have gonorrhea so that they can be tested and treated.
Get re-tested for gonorrhea 3 – 4 months after treatment.
How does gonorrhea affect pregnancy?
Gonorrhea can cause a pregnant woman to go into labor early, resulting in premature delivery. All pregnant women should be tested for gonorrhea, even if they don’t seem to be at risk for the disease. Babies born to infected mothers can get gonorrhea of the eyes or have other problems. In addition, all babies are automatically given eyedrops right after delivery to avoid gonorrhea or chlamydial infection.
Resources and information
If you would like more information or have personal concerns, call CDC-INFO 24 Hours/Day at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636), 1-888-232-6348 (TTY), in English, en Español
Websites:
- American Social Health Association Gonorrhea Fact Sheet
- Gonorrhea Information
- Planned Parenthood: Gonorrhea The Facts
- National Institutes of Health Fact Sheet
- Gonorrhea from EngenderHealth
-
CDC Chlamyida Fact Sheet
Testing Sites:
Broward County Health Department
780 SW 24th Ave. Ft. Lauderdale, FL (954) 788-6095 (954) 847-3567
The Adult Men’s Evening Clinic
2421 SW 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 (954) 298-1749 Tue-Wed. 4:30-7:00 p.m. only for men.
