Sexually Transmitted Infections
What Are They?
Gonorrhea
What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection. It is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea is also known as "The Clap".
Though gonorrhea infection was on the decline, the number of people with gonorrhea infection is on the rise in Canada. The bacteria are also becoming resistant to certain types of antibiotics. From 1997 to 2004 the number of reported cases of gonorrhea nearly doubled in Canada, rising from 14.9 to 28.9 per 100,000.1
How is gonorrhea spread?
Gonorrhea is spread through unprotected oral, anal and vaginal sex with an infected person. It can also be spread from an infected mother to her baby during birth.
Preventing gonorrhea
Condoms can help prevent the spread of gonorrhea during anal or vaginal sex, and condoms or dental dams can be used for protection during oral sex.
Symptoms
Gonorrhea infection may occur in the rectum, penis, cervix or throat.
Both men and women may have no symptoms, and sometimes a woman's symptoms may be mistaken for a bladder or urinary tract infection.
Remember, infected people who have no visible symptoms can still transmit the infection to others.
For those who do have symptoms, they usually appear within two to seven days of infection, but this can take up to 30 days. Throat infections may cause a sore throat, though symptoms are rare.
Many women do not have symptoms. Those that do have symptoms may experience:
- Burning during urination
- Rectal pain, itching, bleeding discharge
- Vaginal bleeding or pain
- Yellowish-white vaginal discharge
Some men may have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Those who do may experience:
- Discharge from the penis
- Burning when urinating
- Painful/swollen testicles
Symptoms of rectal infection may include:
- rectal discharge, itching or bleeding
- painful bowel movements
Testing
For men and women, testing for gonorrhea requires a swabbing of the infected area or a urine sample. It is important to remember that this test is not part of a regular pap test screening for cervical cancer.
Treatment methods
Oral antibiotics can usually cure a gonorrhea infection in just one dose, but it can be reacquired immediately after treatment. Some may be resistant to certain antibiotics. Your recent sexual partners should also be informed as they may require testing and/or treatment.
Did You Know? |
STI Reinfection: Peterman TA et al; RESPECT-2 Study Group (U.S.). High incidence of new sexually transmitted infections in the year following a sexually transmitted infection: a case for rescreening. Ann Intern Med. 2006 Oct 17;145(8):564-72. |
Impact if not treated
Untreated gonorrhea can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) in women, which can cause chronic pelvic pain, infertility and ectopic pregnancy.
Infection can be passed from mother to child during birth, causing serious eye infections or blindness. For men, infection can cause prostatitis as well as epididymitis (inflammation of a small organ which sits at the top of the testes) which can cause infertility. In both sexes, gonorrhea can infect joints, skin, heart and brain and cause permanent damage.
Gonorrhea infection increases the risks of transmitting HIV.
What to tell your partner
Not everyone who is infected with gonorrhea will have visible symptoms, and people without symptoms can still pass along the infection. So even if you had symptoms, it doesn't mean your partner(s) will too. If untreated, gonorrhea can have serious health effects like infertility, but it can also be cured relatively easily. So be honest with your partner(s), explain what's involved in the testing and treatment, and offer to accompany him/her if possible.
You may be required to inform recent sexual partners, as they may need to undergo testing and/or treatment.
When can I have sex again?
Ask your healthcare professional; it depends on the type of treatment you receive. Usually, with unidose treatment, you should not have sex until 7 days have elapsed after treatment. Take all medications as directed and attend any follow-up appointments that may be required.
Remember that people infected with gonorrhea (like many STIs) may not have symptoms, so don't assume that a past sexual partner is not infected because he/she does not have symptoms.
As always, you should use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections and gonorrhea reinfection.
Last Modified: May 22, 2007
