by natenatmom

Created on: July 10, 2008   Last Updated: July 16, 2008

According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year more than 700,000 people in the United States are infected with gonorrhea. This common disease is spread through sexual contact and from mother to baby during delivery. There are several types of gonorrhea and a number of treatment options.

TYPES OF INFECTION & SYMPTOMS

Sexually transmitted gonorrhea can occur in the genital area, throat, and rectum. With genital gonorrhea, the severity of the infection and its symptoms are different for men and women. In men, they include a white, yellow, or greenish discharge and pain or burning during urination. Less common is pain and/or swelling of the testicles. Women often experience no symptoms at all. However, when they are present, the symptoms of genital gonorrhea are often mistaken for a urinary tract infection. They include painful urination, vaginal discharge, abdominal discomfort, and spotting.

Oral gonorrhea, usually transmitted during oral sex, may cause a sore throat or no symptoms at all. Anal gonorrhea can cause itching, discharge, and inflammation of the rectum.

GONORRHEA TREATMENT

Left untreated, genital gonorrhea can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in women and infertility for both males and females. If you believe you've been infected, it's important that you seek treatment. Your doctor will examine you and take a swab of the area or order a urinalysis to make the diagnosis.

Gonorrhea is caused by the neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria, so treatment always includes antibiotics. In the past, Cipro was routinely prescribed to stop the infection. However in recent years, some strains of gonorrhea have become resistant to this type of antibiotic. It is now recommended that one of the cephelasporin drugs such as Ceftriaxone be prescribed. Because many people with gonorrhea are also infected with chlamydia, many doctors like to treat for both as a precautionary measure. You might also be prescribed a second antibiotic such as doxycycline for this purpose.

If you've been exposed to gonorrhea or are experiencing symptoms, talk to your doctor right away. The infection is easy to diagnose and simple to treat, often requiring just a single dose of antibiotic.

SOURCE:
www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact- gonorrhea.htm

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