Frequently Asked Questions
GONORRHEA

What is GONORRHEA?			Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted disease 	
					(STD) caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that 	
					multiplies easily in mucous membranes in the body.
 	
How do people get 			Gonorrhea can be transmitted during vaginal, anal or oral 
gonorrhea?				sex. Gonorrhea can also be spread from an infected 	
					mother to her newborn during vaginal childbirth. Gonorrhea 
					infection can spread to other unlikely parts of the body. For 
					example, a person can get an eye infection after touching 	
					infected genitals and then the eyes.

What are the signs  			Women experience mild early symptoms including a            
and symptoms				painful or burning sensation when urinating and a vaginal      
of gonorrhea?				discharge that is yellow or occasionally bloody. Many infected 
					women have no symptoms, or they are so non-specific that 
					their symptoms are mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection.

When do symptoms			In males, symptoms usually appear two to five days after 
appear?					infection, but it can take as long as 30 days. Men can have 
					signs or symptoms such as a burning sensation when urinating 
					and a yellowish white discharge from the penis. Sometimes 
					men with gonorrhea get painful or swollen testicles.

How is gonorrhea			There are laboratory tests to diagnose gonorrhea. Some can  
diagnosed?				be performed on urine. Other tests require that a specimen be 
					collected from a site such as the cervix, penis, rectum or 	
					throat.

How is gonorrhea			Gonorrhea can be treated and cured with antibiotics.  
treated?				However, many strains of gonorrhea have become 	resistant to 
					some antibiotics over time. For that reason, it is very important 
					that you complete your medications regime until all of your 	
					medication is gone. Many of the currently used antibiotics can 
					successfully cure gonorrhea in adolescents and adults.
 
Who is at risk 				Any sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea.     
for gonorrhea?			


What are the complications		Women can suffer from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), of 
of gonorrhea?				infertility, ectopic pregnancies and chronic pelvic pain. Men 
					can develop epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles 
					that can sometimes lead to infertility if untreated. In men, 	
					gonorrhea can affect the prostate and lead to scarring inside 
					the urethra, making urination difficult. In both sexes, gonorrhea 
					can spread to the blood or joints, causing a life-threatening 
					condition. Persons with gonorrhea can more easily 		
					contract HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.  Newborns with 	
					gonorrhea are at risk for blindness, joint infection, or a life-	
					threatening blood infection. 

How can gonorrhea 			The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted   
be prevented?				diseases is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-
					term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who 
					was tested and is known to be uninfected. Latex or 		
					polyurethane male condoms, when used consistently and 	
					correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhea.

For more information:			Call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at              
					1-800-232-4636, TTY: 1-888-232-6348 In English en Espaņol. 
 
 
 

 

Contact Number: STD Program, (302) 744-1050
Revised: 03/2007 Doc.#35-05-20/07/03/09