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Gonorrhoea

Published by Bupa's health information team, February 2008.

This factsheet is for people who have gonorrhoea, or who would like more information about it.

Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Anyone who is sexually active can get it but it's most common in men aged 20 to 24 and women aged 16 to 19. It can easily be treated. However, if it's left untreated it can cause health and fertility problems.

About gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted infection. It's caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium which can infect the cervix (entrance to the womb), urethra (tube that passes urine from the bladder to the outside), rectum, the throat and, very occasionally, the eyes.

If you are sexually active, you can get gonorrhoea but you are at a greater risk of catching it if you have unprotected sex (sex without a condom) and have more than one sexual partner.

Symptoms

Around half of infected women don't have any symptoms. Men are more likely to have symptoms but there are some men who don't have any. You can still pass gonorrhoea onto your sexual partner(s) even if you don't have any symptoms.

If you have symptoms, these usually start around two to ten days after getting the infection.

In women, symptoms can include:

  • a thick discharge from the vagina which may be yellow or green
  • pain in the lower abdomen (tummy)
  • bleeding from the vagina after sex or between periods
  • the need to urinate more often than usual
  • a painful, burning sensation when passing urine

In men, symptoms can include:

  • a discharge from the penis which may be yellow or green
  • the need to urinate more often than usual
  • a painful, burning sensation when passing urine
  • pain and swelling in the testicles

In both men and women, the rectum, throat and the eyes can become infected with the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium.

Most men and women with gonorrhoea infection in the rectum don't have any symptoms. If you get symptoms, you may have a discharge from your anus and may experience itchiness and discomfort.

Gonorrhoea infection in the throat is unlikely to give you any symptoms.

Gonorrhoea infection in the eyes is very rare in adults. It can cause an irritation and a discharge (conjunctivitis) from one or both eyes.

Complications

Gonorrhoea can cause serious health and reproductive problems if it isn't treated.

In women, the gonorrhoea infection can spread to the uterus (womb), ovaries and fallopian tubes (reproductive tubes leading to the ovaries) and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

PID can damage the fallopian tubes and can increase your risk of being infertile. It can also increase your risk of having a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy - where the pregnancy starts to develop outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tubes (see Related topics).

In men, gonorrhoea can cause the testicles or the prostate gland to become infected. It can cause the tube which carries sperm (the epididymis) to become blocked. It's possible that gonorrhoea can reduce your fertility.

Rarely, untreated gonorrhoea can spread through the bloodstream and infect other parts of the body, including the heart, joints and spine.

Causes

Gonorrhoea is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium. This bacteria can live inside the vagina, penis and rectum, and can be found in the semen of men and the vaginal fluids of women who have the infection. It can be passed on from one person to another during vaginal, anal or oral sex. It can also be passed on by sharing sex toys with an infected person.

Diagnosis

You can see your GP or visit a genito-urinary medicine (GUM) or sexual health clinic to be tested for gonorrhoea. STI clinics are completely confidential.

You can have a test for gonorrhoea even if you don't have any symptoms.

There are different ways of testing for gonorrhoea.

  • A doctor or nurse may use a swab (similar to a small round cotton bud) to take a sample of cells from the cervix or vagina (for women) or from the tip of the penis (for men). If you are female, you may have the option to collect a sample of cells from your vagina yourself using a swab or a tampon.
  • You may be asked to provide a sample of urine.
  • If you have had anal or oral sex, a doctor or nurse may use a swab to take a sample from your rectum or throat. This is not a routine test.

The samples will be sent to the laboratory for testing, or alternatively, your doctor may look for the Gonococcus bacterium under a microscope and give you the result immediately.

If the tests show that you have gonorrhoea, it's important that your current sexual partner and any recent sexual partners are also tested for it. Your doctor can give you advice on confidential ways to notify your sexual partner, if you would prefer to be anonymous.

Treatment

Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics. These may be given to you either as a tablet or as an injection, usually as a single dose.

You should avoid having vaginal, anal or oral sex until you and your partner have both finished treatment or you could become re-infected. Although using condoms will reduce your risk of infection, it won't completely protect you from becoming infected again.

Antibiotics that are given to treat gonorrhoea can interfere with some forms of oral contraception, making it less effective at preventing you from becoming pregnant. Tell the nurse or doctor if you are taking oral contraceptives and they will be able to give you advice.

Special considerations

If you are pregnant

If you have gonorrhoea when you are pregnant, it may lead to complications such as your baby being born prematurely or with a low birth weight. It can also increase your risk of endometriosis after pregnancy. Endometriosis is where cells like the ones found in the womb lining (endometrium) grow on organs outside the womb (see Related topics).

You can pass gonorrhoea onto your baby during birth, causing him or her to get conjunctivitis, which can be treated.

If you are pregnant or you are breastfeeding, you will be given a course of antibiotics to treat gonorrhoea. It's important to tell your doctor or nurse that you are pregnant so that you are prescribed a suitable antibiotic. You will be given a type of antibiotic which is safe for your baby and may be different to some antibiotics given to women who aren't pregnant.

Prevention

There are ways that you can lower your risk of getting or passing on gonorrhoea.

  • Use condoms when having vaginal, oral or anal sex.
  • Limit the number of sexual partners you have and the frequency with which you change your sexual partners.
  • Before having sexual intercourse with a new partner, you should both get tested for gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted infections.

Further information

 

Related topics

Sources

  • National Guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea in adults 2005. BASSH. www.bashh.org, accessed 31 Jan 2007
  • Pattman R, Snow M, Handy P, Sanker KN, Elawad B. Oxford Handbook of genitourinary medicine, HIV and AIDS. 1st edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005
  • General information - Gonorrhoea. Health Protection Agency. www.hpa.org.uk, accessed 31 December 2007
  • Gonorrhoea. The Family Planning Association. www.fpa.org.uk, accessed 31 December 2007

This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. It has also been reviewed by Terrence Higgins Trust. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: February 2008.

 

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