What Is Gonorrhea?

What Is Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is transmitted through semen and vaginal fluids during sexual intercourse.

Gonococcal infections are a major health problem worldwide. Although seen in both women and men, the incidence is higher in men. It is seen especially in young people aged 15-24.

Gonorrhea most often affects the genital organs, urinary tract, rectum or throat. In women, it can also infect the cervix. Babies can become infected during birth if their mothers are infected. In babies, gonorrhea most often affects the eyes.

The most effective way to protect against gonorrhea is to avoid unprotected sexual intercourse.

What Are the Symptoms of Gonorrhea?

Symptoms appear between 4 and 6 days after the agent enters the body. However, gonorrhea sometimes causes no symptoms. When it does cause symptoms, there are mostly visible signs in the genital organs. These are:

In men;

1. Pain and burning when urinating,
2. White, yellow or green discharge from the penis
3. Redness at the tip of the penis
4. Pain or swelling in the testicles (less common)
5. No symptoms are seen in 10% of men. In most women, no symptoms are seen, or the symptoms can be confused with vaginal or urinary tract infections. Even when there are no symptoms, the infection carries a risk of leading to serious health problems.

In women;

1. Vaginal discharge
2. Pain and burning sensation when urinating
3. Itching in the external genital area
4. Vaginal bleeding outside the menstrual period, especially bleeding after sexual intercourse
5. Pain during sexual intercourse
6. Pain in the lower abdomen or pelvic region

The symptoms this infection can cause in other parts of the body are as follows:

Rectum

Anal itching, discharge from the rectum, red spots (bleeding) that may be seen on toilet paper, pain during bowel movements.

Eyes

When the gonorrhea bacterium affects the eyes, eye pain, sensitivity to light and purulent discharge from one or both eyes are seen.

Throat

Sore throat and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck may be seen.

Joints

If one or more joints are inflamed because of this bacterium (septic arthritis), the infected joints become red, swollen and painful.

If gonorrhea is not treated, it can lead to serious health problems in both women and men.

In women, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can develop and, as a result, can cause adhesions and blockage in the tubes, infertility, and long-term groin and abdominal pain.

In men, it can result in pain in the tubes to which the testicles are attached and, rarely, infertility. Untreated gonorrhea can spread to the blood and joints. This is a life-threatening condition. A person who has had gonorrhea can catch the disease again through unprotected intercourse.

Routes of Transmission

Gonorrhea bacteria most often pass from one person to another during sexual contact, including oral, anal or vaginal intercourse. A pregnant woman infected with gonorrhea can pass the disease to the baby during birth.

How Is Gonorrhea Diagnosed?

It is diagnosed with urine tests and PCR tests. For further examinations, samples can be taken from the urethra in men, from the cervix in women, and from the rectum and throat when necessary.

Chlamydia is seen in 40% of gonorrhea patients. If you have gonorrhea, your doctor will test you for all other sexually transmitted infections. You can look at the STI PCR test performed in our laboratory. 

How Is Gonorrhea Treated?

In adults: Because gonorrhea is caused by bacteria, it is treated with antibiotics. The antibiotic can be taken as an injection or as pills and must be used only on a doctor's recommendation. However, if the disease has caused permanent damage to the urinary tract and other organs, this damage is treated by other means.

In partners: If gonorrhea has been diagnosed, the person's partner must also be tested, even if they have no symptoms. If the result is positive, the partner also needs treatment; otherwise there is a risk of re-infection.

In babies: In babies born with gonorrhea, medication is given to prevent infection in the eyes. If the infection progresses, antibiotics can be given.

Ways of Prevention

1. If you are going to have sexual intercourse, you must use protection methods.
2. Use a condom before every type of sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral and anal). Take care that the condom does not tear and is used correctly.
3. Talk to your partner about sexually transmitted infections.
4. Mutual monogamy reduces the risk
5. If your partner has symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection (pain when urinating, redness in the genital area or warts), avoid sexual intercourse until they have been treated.

To have your test done in North Cyprus, please contact our Nicosia or Kyrenia branch. We wish you good health!