Gonorrhoea
Cause:
Gonorrhoea is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
If left untreated, gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women which can lead to chronic pain and/or the inability to get pregnant.
Symptoms:
Infection with gonorrhoea may have no signs or symptoms. If symptoms do occur they are:
• In men, a discharge (pus) from the penis and/or a burning sensation when urinating.
• In women, an unusual discharge from the vagina or pain when urinating. Women may feel deep abdominal pain during vaginal sex.
Gonorrhoea can also infect the anus and the throat usually without any symptoms at all.
How is it spread?:
By unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex.
Treatment:
Men are tested by a swab or urine test from the penis or a swab from the anus or throat.
Women are tested using a urine test or a swab from the cervix, anus or throat.
Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics. A follow-up swab is taken to make sure the infection is gone.
Prevention:
Always use condoms for vaginal, anal and oral sex (penis in mouth). Use dams for oral sex (tongue in vagina, tongue in anus) to cover the vagina or anus.
(Sourced from Sexually Transmissible Infections: Treatment is good/prevention is better, DHS 2003)