Gonorrhea, also spelt gonorrhoea (and once known as the clap), is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrheoae. It affects both men and women and can infect the cervix, urethra, rectum, anus and throat.

Symptoms

Symptoms of gonorrhea infection may appear 1 to 14 days after exposure, although it is possible to be infected with gonorrhea and have no symptoms. Men are far more likely to notice symptoms as they are more apparent. It is estimated that nearly half of the women who become infected with gonorrhea experience no symptoms, or have non-specific symptoms such as a bladder infection.

Gonorrhea symptoms can include:

For Women:

• irritation and/or discharge from the anus.
• a change in vaginal discharge. It may appear in abundance, change to a yellow or greenish colour, and develop a strong smell.
• a burning sensation or pain whilst passing urine.

For Men:

• irritation and/or discharge from the anus.
• a white or yellow discharge from the penis.
• inflammation of the testicles and/or prostate gland.

How It’s Passed On

Gonorrhea is passed on through penetrative sex, including:

• vaginal sex.
• anal sex.
• oral sex - oral sex can either transmit gonorrhea from the genitals to the throat of the person giving the stimulation, or it can pass an infection from the throat to the genitals of the person receiving stimulation.

Less often it can be transmitted by:

• a person using their mouth and tongue to lick or suck another person's anus.
• a person putting fingers into the vagina, anus or mouth of someone infected with gonorrhea, then touching their own mouth, genitals or anus without washing their hands in between.

Getting Help

If you have any symptoms or you are worried you may have been infected with gonorrhea, you should discuss your worries with a doctor.

The Diagnosis

To test for gonorrhea an examination of the genital area will be carried out by a doctor or nurse and samples will be taken, using a cotton wool swab or sponge, from any infected areas - the cervix, urethra, anus or throat. A sample of urine may be taken.

None of these tests are painful, but they may cause minor discomfort. If a person has had anal sex, it is important that they tell the doctor so that a swab can be taken from the rectum. They should also tell the doctor if they have had oral sex so swabs can be taken from the throat.

Treatment

Samples taken during the examination will be sent to a laboratory to be tested for the bacterium Neisseria gonorrheae and will usually be available within a week.

Treatment is easy and essential. The patient will be given an antibiotic in tablet, liquid or injection form.

If the patient is allergic to any antibiotics, or if there is any possibility that they may be pregnant, it is very important that the doctor is informed as this may affect treatment options.

The patient should not have penetrative sex until they have returned to the clinic and it is confirmed that the infection is gone. The doctor or health adviser will inform the patient which sexual activities are safe.

Follow Up

Once the patient has completed the course of treatment for gonorrhea, they should return to the clinic or their doctor for a check-up.

Some types of gonorrhea are resistant to certain antibiotics. Further tests will be done to make sure that the infection has cleared. If it has not then different, usually stronger, antibiotics will be prescribed.