These include the female reproductive tract, the anus, the inside of your eyelids, the urethra, and the throat 2. Like chlamydia infections, gonorrhea can infect people of all genders. Gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in women and people with female reproductive tracts—this means that people often do not experience any discomfort or notice any changes once infected 3.
Without any symptoms, people may not suspect that they have an STI. Some may have very mild or vague symptoms, which can be confused with a urinary tract infection or vaginal infection 4. Infections of gonorrhea in the throat are also often asymptomatic, though some people may have a sore throat and enlarged tonsils 5.
Gonorrhea is spread through sexual contact with an infected partner. It can be spread through any type of unprotected sex, including penis in vagina sex, anal sex, and oral sex 2.
A gonorrhea infection can develop in the genital tract, anus, and urethra for penis-in-vagina sex or anal sex. Having oral sex can spread a gonorrhea infection from the genitals to the throat. A person can also be re-infected with gonorrhea after having been treated previously. A sexually transmitted infection of gonorrhea can cause an infection of the cervix, urethra, and fallopian tubes in people with female reproductive organs 4,6.
Like an untreated chlamydia infection, an untreated gonorrhea infection can lead to the development of pelvic inflammatory disease PID. PID can result in irreversible and serious outcomes in women and people with female reproductive tracts, like ectopic pregnancy, infertility, or chronic pelvic pain 1,4.
Gonorrhea bacteria travel up the reproductive tract from the vagina through the cervix to the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, causing inflammation and infection. Once inside, the bacteria damage the fallopian tubes, and can cause scarring 7. This can have long term effects including infertility, as scar tissue can block the fallopian tubes, preventing sperm from fertilizing an egg.
Ectopic pregnancies where a pregnancy implants outside of the uterus are also more common, as a fertilized egg may get stuck in the damaged fallopian tube—which can be life threatening. Chronic pelvic pain is also a possible long term consequence of untreated gonorrhea infections, and is a symptom of PID 8. You can get gonorrhea by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has gonorrhea. A pregnant woman with gonorrhea can give the infection to her baby during childbirth.
If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting gonorrhea:. If you are sexually active, have an honest and open talk with your health care provider and ask whether you should be tested for gonorrhea or other STDs.
If you are a sexually active man who is gay, bisexual, or who has sex with men, you should be tested for gonorrhea every year. If you are a sexually active woman younger than 25 years or an older woman with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection, you should be tested for gonorrhea every year.
If you are pregnant and have gonorrhea, you can give the infection to your baby during delivery. This can cause serious health problems for your baby. If you are pregnant, it is important that you talk to your health care provider so that you get the correct examination, testing, and treatment, as necessary. Treating gonorrhea as soon as possible will make health complications for your baby less likely. Some men with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all.
However, men who do have symptoms, may have:. Most women with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. Men and gonorrhea Women and gonorrhea Gonorrhea and pregnancy Gonorrhea and newborns How is Gonorrhea diagnosed? The test not painful! Is there a cure for gonorrhea? Is gonorrhea dangerous? Who is most likely to get gonorrhea?
How can people with gonorrhea avoid spreading it? How can I avoid getting gonorrhea? Links and References. Condoms significantly reduce the risk of infection, but they don't provide total protection. Among others, they include discharge from the vagina or urethra. This is because secretions and pus have gathered in the night and then are discharged in the morning in thick drops.
Gonorrhea is a bacterial inflammation caused by the bacterium gonococcus. The body's response is to produce an army of leucocytes, or white blood cells, creating a yellowish fluid. In addition to this discharge, infected people can also experience pain when passing urine.
Gonorrhea is transmitted during sex , and it's usually the genitals that are affected. Intense itching and pain can be the first indications of possible infection. Many people, however, notice nothing at all. This is true in around 70 percent of infections. Read more : Sex in Germany — Study opens a window into German bedrooms. The anal area and even the mouth and throat can also be infected by gonococci bacteria, for example through unprotected oral sex.
The pathogens are extremely virulent and people can become infected very quickly. In a worst-case scenario, gonorrhea can lead to infertility in both women and men. If the condition isn't treated immediately and is allowed to spread, it can lead to inflammation of the lesser pelvis and subsequently to a blockage of the fallopian tubes in women, which can mean infertility.
In men it can have the same effect on the seminal ducts and testes. If a pregnant woman becomes infected with gonorrhea, there is a danger the infection may be transmitted to the unborn child, which can result in miscarriage or stillbirth. In babies, the eyes in particular are affected. Newborns develop symptoms just a few days after birth, including swollen eyelids and light sensitivity.
For a long time, antibiotics were the treatment of choice for gonorrhea in adults and newborns, but now there's a need to develop new medicines.
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