Gonorrhea Health Article

Definition

Gonorrhea is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The mucous membranes of the genital region may become inflamed without the development of any other symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are different in men and women. In men, gonorrhea usually begins as an infection of the vessel that carries urine and sperm (urethra). In women, it will most likely infect the narrow part of the uterus (cervix). If untreated, gonorrhea can result in serious medical complications.

Description

Gonorrhea is commonly referred to as "the clap." The incidence of gonorrhea has steadily declined since the 1980s, largely due to increased public awareness campaigns and the risk of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS. Still, current estimates range from 400,000 to as many as one million projected cases of gonorrhea in the United States each year. These estimates vary due to the private nature of the disease and the consequent underreporting that occurs. The majority of reported cases of gonorrhea come from public health clinics.

The disease affects people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic levels, but some individuals are more at-risk than others. Adolescents and young adults are the highest risk group, with more than 80% of the reported cases each year occurring in the 15–29 age group. Those individuals with multiple sexual partners and who use no barrier contraception, such as condoms, are most at-risk. Reported rates vary among racial and ethnic groups.

The risk factors for gonorrhea are not unlike those for all sexually transmitted diseases. Both men and women can become infected through a variety of sexual contact behaviors, including oral, anal, or vaginal inter-course. The disease is transmitted very efficiently. In fact, women run a 60–90% chance of contracting the disease after just one sexual encounter with an infected male. The disease can also be transmitted from an infected mother to her infant during delivery.

Causes and symptoms

If treated early, gonorrhea can be cured. Unfortunately, many individuals with gonorrhea, particularly women, will experience no symptoms to alert them to the possibility that they have contracted gonorrhea, and therefore, many do not seek treatment. When present, the symptoms and complications of gonorrhea are primarily limited to the genital, urinary, and gastrointestinal systems and usually begin between one day and two weeks following infection. If left untreated, serious complications can result if the disease spreads to the bloodstream and infects the brain, heart valves, and joints. Untreated gonorrhea can also result in severe damage to the reproductive system, making an individual unable to conceive a child (sterile).

Symptoms of gonorrhea in women

As many as 80% of women with gonorrhea show no symptoms. If present, symptoms may include the following:

• bleeding between menstrual periods
• chronic abdominal pain.
• painful urination.
• vaginal discharge, often cloudy and yellow.
• in the case of oral infection, there may be no symptoms or only a sore throat.
• anal infection may cause rectal itching or discharge.

Because women often do not show any symptoms, complications are more likely to occur as the disease progresses. The most common complication is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can occur in up to 40% of women with gonorrhea and may result in damage to the fallopian tubes, a pregnancy developing outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy), or sterility. If an infected woman is pregnant, gonorrhea can be passed on to her newborn through the birth canal during delivery. These infants may experience eye infections that could lead to blindness.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in men

Men are more likely to experience the following symptoms:

• thick and cloudy discharge from the penis.
• burning or pain during urination.
• more frequent urination.
• in the case of oral infection, there may be no symptoms or only a sore throat.
• anal infection may cause rectal itching or discharge.

In men, complications can affect the prostate, testicles, and surrounding glands. Inflammation, tissue death and pus formation (abscesses), and scarring can occur and result in sterility.