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Gonorrhea
Mario Nastasi
What is it?

Sexually Transmitted Infection.

Caused by Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can
grow and multiply easily in mucus membranes of the
body.

Can grow in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive
tract, including the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes
in women, and in the urethra in women and men.

Can also grow in the mouth, throat, and anus.

A.K.A the “clap” or “drip”
How is it Spread?

Most often through sexual contact with an infected person.

May also be spread by contact with infected bodily fluids, so that a mother
could pass on the infection to her newborn during childbirth.

The infection is easily spread and occurs most often in people who have many
sex partners.
How Common is Gonorrhea?

Very common in the U.S.

According to the CDC, there are as many as 700,000 new cases, with less than
half of them reported.

There were 334,826 reported cases of gonorrhea in the U.S. in 2012.

Sexually active teenagers have one of the highest rates of reported
infections.
Symptoms

Not all people infected have symptoms.

When symptoms do occur, they are often within two to 10 days after
exposure, but they can take up to 30 days to develop.
• Symptoms for women:
 Greenish yellow or whitish
discharge from the vagina.
 Burning when urinating.
 Bleeding between periods.
 Lower abdominal or pelvic pain.
• Symptoms for men:
 Greenish yellow or whitish
discharge from the penis.
 Burning when urinating.
 Painful or swollen testicle.
Treatments

Either an oral or injectable antibiotic.

Partner should also be treated at the same time.

Patients infected with gonorrhoeae frequently are coinfected with
trachomatis. Dual therapy is recommended.

Always take all of your antibiotics, even if you’re feeling better.

It is becoming harder to treat some gonorrhea, as drug-resistant strains of
gonorrhea are increasing.
If Untreated

Can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men.

Spread to your blood or joints (life-threatening)

Increased risk of HIV.

Men:


Can cause a painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles.

In rare cases, can cause men to be sterile.
Women:

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Formation of scar tissue that blocks fallopian tubes.

Infertility

Long-term pelvic/abdominal pain.
Prevention

Condoms/Safe sex.

Limit number of sex partners.

Abstinence