Gonorrhea
STD Info: Just the Facts
Gonorrhea is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria.
Gonorrhea is transmitted by any type of sexual activity, including vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
Though some cases may be asymptomatic, when symptoms do appear, they are often mild and usually appear within 2-10 days after exposure. The symptoms include discharge from the penis, vagina, or rectum and burning or itching during urination. In women, gonorrhea can cause menstrual irregularities.
The infection can be cured with antibiotics. However, it cannot undo the damage done prior to treatment.
Untreated in women, the disease is a major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) , which can lead to ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain. In fact, 40% of untreated women develop pelvic inflammatory disease. Gonorrhea can cause sterility in men. Untreated gonorrhea can infect the joints, heart valves, and the brain.
The transmission rate from mother to newborn is 30%. Gonorrhea can
cause blindness and systemic diseases such as meningitis and septic arthritis in infants infected during delivery. To prevent blindness, all newborns delivered in hospitals have their eyes treated with medication specific for gonorrhea.
Abstaining from all sexual contact with an infected person is the only 100% effective means of prevention. Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex.
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* items with an asterisk link to information off-site at www.epigee.org. Source: W Cates, "Reproductive Tract Infections," In Hatcher et al, Contraceptive Technology, Ardent Media, 2005.
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