Neisseria GonorrhoeaGonorrhoea (also spelt gonorrhea) is amongst the most common of sexually transmitted infections. It is caused by a bacterium called neisseria gonorrheoae or gonococcus (right), and is usually found inside the genital area, or the rectum, and can be transmitted through contact with the conjunctivae of a person’s eyes.
People with gonorrhoea may exhibit symptoms from 2 to 30 days after infection, with most showing signs within 5 days. Some people, especially women, do not exhibit noticeable symptoms or may not do so until long after infection, leading to possible spread of the infection to others.
Women infected by gonorrhoea can be at risk of further complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and others that may affect their ability to become pregnant. Gonorrhoea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles, which if left untreated can cause infertility. Untreated gonorrhoea can also cause development of cysts or abscesses.
Transmission
Gonorrhoea is most often transmitted through sexual contact that can be vaginal, oral or anal sex, sharing sex toys, or just through intimate contact. A surface that carries the infection can also transmit it through the conjunctivae (a membrane on the surface of the eyeball and under the eyelids) of a person’s eye. A baby can become infected from its mother during birth.
Symptoms
For women the symptoms of gonorrhoea are often mild, but most women who are infected do not have any symptoms. Even when a woman has noticeable symptoms, they can be non-specific and easily mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. Initial symptoms most commonly experienced are:
- A painful or burning sensation when urinating
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Bleeding between periods
- Cramps or abdominal pains
- Vomiting and fever
Many men with gonorrhoea may have no symptoms at all, but the most common symptoms are:
- A burning sensation when urinating
- White, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
- Some men may also experience painful or swollen testicles
As gonorrhoea infects both the cervix and urethra, inflammation in the cervix and discharge from the urethra (cervicitis and urethritis), usually indicates an infection of gonorrhoea.
Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and women may include discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements. Rectal infection also may cause no symptoms.
Infections in the throat may cause a sore throat but usually causes no symptoms.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Testing at a GUM clinic will be done by taking a sample using a cotton wool or spongy swab or a small plastic loop from any places which may be infected - the cervix, urethra, anus or throat. For men swabs from the urethra may be fairly uncomfortable and a sample of urine or discharge may be taken, though the former method is more accurate.
Results can take about a week to two weeks to come through, but if a doctor or nurse thinks you have gonorrhoea, you will be treated immediately with antibiotics. These may be tablets or an injection. Treatment is essential and you should avoid all sexual contact until you are given the all clear. It is important to ask any sexual partners you may have come in contact with or are still having sex with to get themselves checked to avoid reinfection (as the symptoms can remain unseen for some time), and staff at GUM clinic can provide support for doing this.