What Is Gonorrhea? What Causes Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea (from Late Latin gonorrhoia where gonos means "seed" and rhoe means "flow") is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that tends to attack the mucous membranes of the body. It is the second most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S.; the first being Chlamydia. The bacteria reside in the warm and moist body cavities of both men and women and are highly contagious. Gonorrhea is the most common cause of female infertility and is also known as "the clap" or "the drip". Only a fraction of women infected with the disease show any symptoms, leaving them unaware of their condition. If left untreated, gonorrhea patients can develop pelvic inflammatory disease or PID (women), or an inflammation of the epididymis, prostate gland, or urethral structure (men), all of which are far more difficult to treat.

What causes gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is caused by the growth and proliferation of the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The disease can survive in the eye, rectum, mouth, penis, throat, or vagina. This means that it can be transmitted through any variety of sexual contact.

Once infected, a person runs a high risk of spreading the bacteria to other parts of their body. For instance, someone with gonorrhea may rub his or her eye, inadvertently spreading the infection and elongating the treatment period. The infection can also be spread from mothers to babies during childbirth.

Who is at risk of getting gonorrhea?

Any sexually active person can become infected with gonorrhea. Rates of infection are highest among teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 29. Those who have been diagnosed with and treated for gonorrhea in the past have no resistance to the bacteria.

What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?

Symptoms of gonorrhea, usually appearing between two and ten days after exposure, can take up to 30 days to occur and are sometimes so mild they are mistaken for something else. Most women with gonorrhea show no symptoms. In men, the symptoms include:

• Yellow, green, or white discharge from the penis
• Testicular swelling and/or pain
• Burning during urination

Women may experience:

• Yellow, green, or white vaginal discharge
• Pain or burning during urination
• Pain in the pelvic region
• Conjunctivitis (pink-eye)
• Irregular bleeding (between periods)
• Vulvitis (swelling of the vulva)
• Spotting after intercourse

The infection, if spread to the rectum, can cause anal itching, anal discharge, and painful bowel movements. Gonorrhea, as a result of oral sex, can also occur in the throat, characterized by burning sensations and swollen glands. Many women with gonorrhea interpret the symptoms as those of a yeast infection due to the vaginal discharge.

How is gonorrhea diagnosed?

If you suspect that you have gonorrhea, a professional health care worker can take a sample of discharge from the urethra (men) or cervix (women) and use it to conduct laboratory tests. Throat and anal cultures may also be taken if any symptoms suggest a spreading infection. Due to the large amount of cases in which the two occur together, the samples will be tested for both gonorrhea and Chlamydia in a laboratory. It often takes a few days for the test results to be reported. A urine test can also be done that checks for the presence of the bacteria responsible for gonorrhea.

How is gonorrhea treated?

Because gonorrhea is a bacterial infection, it can be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics for the infection can be taken orally or via injection. It is important that the patient does not engage in sexual interactions until he/she has finished all of the prescribed treatment. Feeling better does not always mean that the infection is gone. Medical professionals will advise that any infected person notify everyone with whom they have had relations with in the past month about the infection.

How can gonorrhea be prevented?

Using a condom every time you have sex reduces your chance of contracting gonorrhea. Bacterial infections such as gonorrhea are more common among the promiscuous. If you have even the slightest inclination that you or your partner may be infected with gonorrhea, abstain from sex until consulting with a medical professional.