What is gonorrhea?
Highlights
1. Some people may never develop noticeable symptoms.
2. Gonorrhea is usually treated with an antibiotic injection or oral antibiotics.
3. You’re at a higher risk of contracting gonorrhea if you’ve had any other STDs.
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It’s caused by infection with the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It tends to infect warm, moist areas of the body, including the:
- urethra (the tube that drains urine from the urinary bladder)
- eyes
- throat
- vagina
- anus
- female reproductive tract (the fallopian tubes, cervix, and uterus)
Gonorrhea passes from person to person through unprotected oral, anal, or vaginal sex. People with numerous sexual partners or those who don’t use a condom are at greatest risk of infection. The best protections against infection are abstinence, monogamy (sex with only one partner), and proper condom usage. Behaviors that make a person more likely to engage in unprotected sex also increase the likelihood of infection. These behaviors include alcohol abuse and illegal drug abuse, particularly intravenous drug use.
Symptoms of gonorrhea
Symptoms usually occur within two to 14 days after exposure. However, some people infected with gonorrhea never develop noticeable symptoms. It’s important to remember that a person with gonorrhea who doesn’t have symptoms, also called a nonsymptomatic carrier, is still contagious. A person is more likely to spread the infection to other partners when they don’t have noticeable symptoms.
Symptoms in men
Men may not develop noticeable symptoms for several weeks. Some men may never develop symptoms.
Typically, the infection begins to show symptoms a week after its transmission. The first noticeable symptom in men is often a burning or painful sensation during urination. As it progresses, other symptoms may include:
- greater frequency or urgency of urination
- a pus-like discharge (or drip) from the penis (white, yellow, beige, or greenish)
- swelling or redness at the opening of the penis
- swelling or pain in the testicles
- a persistent sore throat
The infection will stay in the body for a few weeks after the symptoms have been treated. In rare instances, gonorrhea can continue to cause damage to the body, specifically the urethra and testicles. Pain may also spread to the rectum.
Symptoms in women
Many women don’t develop any overt symptoms of gonorrhea. When women do develop symptoms, they tend to be mild or similar to other infections, making them more difficult to identify. Gonorrhea infections can appear much like common vaginal yeast or bacterial infections.
Symptoms include:
- discharge from the vagina (watery, creamy, or slightly green)
- pain or burning sensation while urinating
- the need to urinate more frequently
- heavier periods or spotting
- sore throat
- pain upon engaging in sexual intercourse
- sharp pain in the lower abdomen
- fever
Healthcare professionals can diagnose gonorrhea infection in several ways. They can take a sample of fluid from the symptomatic area with a swab (penis, vagina, rectum, or throat) and place it on a glass slide. If your doctor suspects a joint or blood infection, he or she will obtain the sample by drawing blood or inserting a needle into the symptomatic joint to withdraw fluid.
Gonorrhea Home Test-kit:
You can test yourself by using test-kit, especially if you want to know if you are infected without letting other people know because of the stigma that is connected to having STI.
Fujibio Gonorrhea Rapid Test Kit is a direct binding test for the visual detection of gonorrhea antigen , in the secretory specimen and urine from urogenital system, as an aid in the diagnosis of gonococcal infection. It is Based on the principle of double sandwich immunoassay for the detection of gonorrhea antigen in the secretory specimen or urine. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies are employed to identify gonorrhea specifically. Both sensitivity and specifically of the test are higher than those of the present methods, which often involve long hours of culturing the collected specimen. Test results are not affected by any medication that is being taken. Results are read visually without any instrumentation. This test is ideal for screening specimen samples containing at least 1x 10 bacteria per ml.
Instruction:
ASSAY PROCEDURE
1. When you are ready to begin testing, open the sealed pouch by tearing along the notch. Remove the test kit from the pouch.
2. Using the pipette provided, dispense 4 drops (0.2 mL) of the specimen sample onto the sample well of the cassette.
3. Wait 10-20 minutes and read results. Do not read results after more than 30 minutes.
RESULTS
Negative: Only one colored band appears on the control (C) region. No apparent band on the test (T) region.
Positive: In addition to a pink colored control (C) band, a distinct pink colored band will also appear in the test (T) region.
Invalid: A total absence of color in both regions and no colored line appears in the control (C) region is an indication of procedure error and/or the test reagent deterioration. Repeat the test with a new kit.
What to do if you have gonorrhea
If you think you may have gonorrhea, you should avoid any sexual activity. You should also contact your doctor immediately.
During your doctor’s visit, be prepared to:
- detail your symptoms
- discuss your sexual history
- provide the contact info for previous sexual partners so that the doctor can contact them anonymously on your behalf
If you’re in contact with your sexual partner(s), let them know they should be tested immediately.
If you’re placed on antibiotics, it’s important to take the full course of pills to ensure that your infection is completely treated. Cutting your course of antibiotics short can make the bacteria more likely to develop resistance to the antibiotic. You also need to follow up with your doctor one to two weeks later to make sure that your infection has cleared.
If the results come back negative and your sexual partner is also clear of any infection, it’s possible to resume sexual activity.
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