Gonorrhea Fact Sheet

 

By Suzann Gage, RNC, NP, LAc

What is Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted bacteria that infects the warm moist mucus membrane linings of the penis, vagina, throat, anus and and even the eye. Gonorrhea can cause serious complications if left untreated. This is why gonorrhea is referred to as a sexually transmitted disease. The bacteria that causes gonorrhea is called Neisseria Gonorrhea.

Gonorrhea Transmission & Prevention

Gonorrhea is transmitted through direct contact with an infected partners secretions. You can easily become infected with gonorrhea if you get infected semen or vaginal fluids on or in the penis, vagina, vulva, mouth, throat, anus or eye.

Gonorrhea infects only that part of your body that has contact with a partners infected semen, vaginal fluids or other body secretions. However, if gonorrhea is left untreated it can eventually spread to other parts of the body causing serious complications.

Gonorrhea is transmitted through unprotected sexual contact including:

  • Unprotected penis in the vagina sex without using a condom.

  • Unprotected penis in the anus sex without using a condom.

  • Unprotected penis in the mouth sex without using a condom.

  • Unprotected mouth on the vulva sex without using a latex or plastic barrier such as a dental dam.

  • Unprotected rubbing of the vulva against a partners vulva without using a latex or plastic barrier.

  • Sharing a sex toy without washing and disinfecting the toy between partners.

  • Touching a partners infected secretions, including semen, vaginal fluids and anal secretions and then touching your own genitals without washing your hands first. A latex glove can be used to cover the hand while touching a partners genital secretions and then the glove can be disposed of before touching your own genitals, mouth or eyes.

  • Gonorrhea can be transmitted from an infected mother's vagina to her infant's eyes or other parts of the baby's body during childbirth. Left untreated this can cause severe complications including infant blindness.

  • Safer sex makes a huge difference in helping to prevent the transmission of gonorrhea. Regular correct use of condoms, dental dams, latex gloves and hand washing can dramatically reduce the risk of becoming infected with gonorrhea. Many couples like to incorporate safer sex into love making. Considering the consequences of STDs like gonorrhea, safer sex is very much worth the effort! See Safer Sex Guidelines.

  • Important: Birth control pills do NOT reduce the risk of becoming infected with gonorrhea or any other STD. In fact, women who take birth control pills have a greater risk of becoming infected with gonorrhea than women who do not use the pill. The birth control pill chemically alters the vagina in such a manner as to make women more likely to contract infections. Women on birth control pills who's partner's history and risks are unknown still need to use safer sex to protect themselves from STDs.

Gonorrhea Symptoms

YOU CAN HAVE GONORRHEA WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS!

Many people falsely believe that if you have gonorrhea you will know it because you will have symptoms. In fact may people who are infected with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms, in some cases, even, for years!

Early Stage Gonorrhea Symptoms Can Include:

  • A discharge from the penis which may be white, pale yellow or pale green
  • Discharge from the penis may be very little or profuse and dripping
  • Penile discharge can cause slight irritation or severely burning that can come and go
  • Often gonorrhea causes no change in vaginal secretions
  • If there is a vaginal discharge it may be white, pale yellow or pale green
  • Vaginal discharge may be slight or heavy and runny, and often has no odor
  • Urethral (urine opening) irritation may be minor or sharp and burning and can come and go
  • Throat irritation
  • Eye inflammation and irritation

Advanced Stage Gonorrhea Symptoms Can Include:

  • Discomfort in the testicles ranging from a dull ache to a pronounced pain. This can mean that gonorrhea has traveled into the testicles which can cause infertility.

  • Discomfort in the uterus ranging from a dull lower abdominal ache to severe pain. This can mean that gonorrhea has traveled into the uterus and egg tubes, referred to as pelvic inflammatory disease or PID, which is a common cause of infertility.

  • Aches and pains throughout the body can be associated with gonorrhea that has traveled into the blood and joints, which has the potential for be life threatening.

  • Gonorrhea can be transmitted from an infected mother's vagina to her infant's eyes or other parts of the baby's body during childbirth. Left untreated this can cause severe complications including infant blindness.

Gonorrhea Testing

Gonorrhea testing is now done with a simple painless urine test by a method called amplified DNA. The test looks for gonorrhea's DNA and is considered to be one of the most highly accurate methods available. The amplified DNA test is far more accurate that the old urethral culture swab method and far more comfortable.

Gonorrhea can also be tested from a liquid based Pap smear. To have this done you must specifically requested gonorrhea as an additional test to be performed along with the Pap smear.

If gonorrhea is suspected in the throat, eye or anus, a swab is used to gently collect secretions from these locations. The swab is then sent in a special culture media to a lab to test for gonorrhea.

Gonorrhea Treatment

Gonorrhea can be treated with a number of different antibiotics including Floxin, Levoquin, and Doxycycline. Not all antibiotics are effective in treating gonorrhea. To effectively treat gonorrhea with antibiotics you must take the entire prescribed dosage, every single pill, as directed. Once gonorrhea is successfully treated it can no longer be transmitted to a partner or found in a follow up test. A gonorrhea test following treatment, called a "test of cure", should not be performed until 3 weeks after treatment to get an accurate result.

Where Can You Get Tested for Gonorrhea?

Progressive Health Services provides gonorrhea testing at our San Diego office located at 2141 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92104

Progressive Health Services also provides testing at numerous convenient patient service centers.

Please call 619-260-0810