Gonorrhea: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Gonorrhea is an inflammation of the mucous membranes caused by a gram negative diplococcus called the gonococcus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea belongs to the group of sexually transmitted diseases.

The second name of the disease, “gonorrhea,” is also associated with the German word “Tripper.” The first descriptions of the condition date back to the second century BC, when the ancient physician Galen introduced the term gonorrhea, which literally means “flow of seed.”

For some time, syphilis and gonorrhea were considered different stages of the same disease. It was only in 1879 that the well known German dermatovenereologist Albert Ludwig Neisser discovered the bacterium that causes gonorrhea. It is a diplococcus, a paired coccus that resembles coffee beans in appearance. The bacterium was later named after him: Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Until recently, gonorrhea remained one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. According to experts from the World Health Organization, more than 200 million people worldwide become infected with gonorrhea every year, and 80 percent of them are between the ages of 16 and 30. For a long time, this disease has been considered the second most common sexually transmitted infection after trichomoniasis. That is why it is important to visit a doctor regularly, for example once every six months, and undergo testing for hidden infections.

Gonorrhea can occur in people of both sexes at any age. In men, gonorrhea usually causes noticeable symptoms that force them to seek medical attention. In women, however, gonorrhea often proceeds with almost no symptoms, which leads to late diagnosis and the development of complications.

How gonorrhea is transmitted

Gonorrhea is transmitted during sexual contact, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex, and more rarely during intimate contact or sexual games with a person infected with gonorrhea. In most cases, infection occurs during vaginal or rectal sexual contact. Children may become infected while passing through the birth canal of a mother who has gonorrhea, or when hygiene and childcare rules are not properly followed.

This disease may affect the urethra, rectum, throat, cervix, and eyes. It can lead to urethritis, cervicitis, salpingitis, proctitis, bacteremia, arthritis, conjunctivitis, and pharyngitis. More rarely, it causes inflammation of the throat and rectum.

The source of infection is an infected person. The pathogen is transmitted primarily through sexual contact, and less commonly through household items such as underwear, towels, or washcloths.

Complications of gonorrhea

In men, the most common complication is inflammation of the epididymis, known as epididymitis.

In women, the most common complications are bartholinitis and inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages, which are among the main causes of female infertility. At the same time, the use of an intrauterine device and menstruation increase the risk of inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages.

When gonococci spread to other organs, disseminated gonococcal infection develops. In such cases, the joints, skin, brain, heart, and liver may be affected. If gonococci enter the eyes, gonococcal conjunctivitis may develop.

Features of gonorrhea in women

In women, gonorrhea often has no symptoms. Even if symptoms do appear, they are not always interpreted correctly. For example, yellowish white vaginal discharge is often associated with candidiasis, while pain during urination is associated with cystitis.

Timely treatment of gonorrhea, like any other sexually transmitted infection, significantly increases the chances of a positive outcome. If there is any suspicion of an infection or a sexually transmitted disease, a woman should consult a gynecologist, and her partner should consult a venereologist.