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Home , Ejaculation, Gonorrhea

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Division of Services

12/16

Gonorrhea

What is gonorrhea? urination or a white, yellow, or green penile Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) discharge that usually appears 1–14 days after caused by infection with the infection. Men may also complain of testicular or gonorrhoeae bacterium, which most commonly scrotal pain. infects the reproductive tract, including the , Most women with gonorrhea have no uterus, and fallopian tubes in women, and the symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, in women and men. N. gonorrhoeae can they are often so mild and nonspecific that they also infect the mouth, throat, eyes, and . are mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. The initial symptoms and signs in women include How common is gonorrhea? difficult or painful urination, increased vaginal Gonorrhea is very common. The U.S. Centers for discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods. Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates Women with gonorrhea are at risk of serious that about 820,000 new gonococcal infections complications from the infection, regardless of the occur in the U.S. each year, and that fewer than presence or severity of initial symptoms. half of these infections are detected and reported Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and to CDC. CDC estimates that 570,000 of them women may include discharge, anal itching, were among young people 15–24 years of age. soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements. New Hampshire saw an average of about 130 Rectal infection can also occur without symptoms. cases per year from 2009–2013, but the numbers Mouth and throat infection may cause a sore have been increasing over the last few years with throat, but also is often without symptoms. more than 400 cases identified in 2016. What are the complications of gonorrhea? How do people get gonorrhea? Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and Gonorrhea is transmitted through sexual contact permanent health problems in both women and with the , , mouth, or anus of an men. In women, gonorrhea can spread into the infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted. Gonorrhea inflammatory disease (PID). The symptoms may can also spread from mother to baby during be quite mild or very severe and can include childbirth. A person can get gonorrhea more than abdominal pain and fever. PID can lead to internal once. and chronic . PID can also damage the fallopian tubes enough to cause Who is at risk for gonorrhea? or increase the risk of ectopic Any sexually active person can be infected with . In men, gonorrhea may be gonorrhea. In the U.S., the highest reported rates complicated by of the , of infection are among sexually active teenagers, and in rare cases, this may lead to infertility. young , and . If left untreated, gonorrhea can also spread to the blood and cause a disseminated gonococcal What are the of infection (DGI). DGI is usually characterized by gonorrhea? arthritis, inflammation of tendons, and/or rash. Many men with gonorrhea have no symptoms. This condition can be life threatening. When present, signs and symptoms of urethral infection in men include painful or difficult

29 Hazen Drive  Concord, NH 03301  603-271-4496  www.dhhs.nh.gov Are gonorrhea and HIV linked? What is the treatment for gonorrhea? Untreated gonorrhea can increase a person’s risk Gonorrhea can be cured with the right treatment of acquiring or transmitting HIV, the that of . It is important that a person take all causes AIDS. of the their doctor prescribes to cure the infection. Although antibiotics will stop the How does gonorrhea affect a pregnant infection, it will not undo any permanent damage woman and her baby? caused by the disease. It is becoming harder to If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she may give treat some gonorrhea because -resistant the infection to her baby during delivery. This can strains are becoming more common. If a person’s cause blindness, joint infection, or a life- symptoms continue for more than a few days after threatening blood infection in the baby. Treatment receiving treatment, or if symptoms recur after of gonorrhea as soon as it is detected in pregnant completing treatment, a person should return to a women will reduce the risk of these health care provider to be checked again. complications. Pregnant women should consult a health care provider for appropriate examination, What about partners? testing, and treatment, as necessary. A person diagnosed and treated for gonorrhea should tell all the anal, vaginal, and Who should be tested for gonorrhea? partners they have had within the 60 days prior Any sexually active person can be infected with the start of symptoms or diagnosis about their gonorrhea. Anyone with genital symptoms such as gonorrhea infection so the partners can see a discharge, burning during urination, unusual health provider for testing and treatment. This will sores, or rash should stop having sex and see a reduce the risk that the sex partners will develop health care provider immediately. Also, anyone serious complications from gonorrhea and will with an oral, anal, or vaginal sex partner who has also reduce the person’s risk of becoming re- been recently diagnosed with an STD should see a infected. A person with gonorrhea should avoid health care provider for evaluation. sexual activity for 7 days after the person and Some people should be tested (screened) for his/her sex partners have been treated and until gonorrhea even if they do not have symptoms or they no longer have symptoms. For tips on talking know of a sex partner who has gonorrhea. Anyone to partners about sex and STD testing, visit who is sexually active should discuss his or her http://www.gytnow.org/talking-to-your-partner. risk factors with a health care provider and ask whether he or she should be tested for gonorrhea How can gonorrhea be prevented? and other STDs. Latex , when used consistently and CDC recommends yearly gonorrhea screening correctly, can reduce the risk of of for all sexually active women under 25, as well as gonorrhea. The surest way to avoid transmission older women with risk factors such as new or of gonorrhea or other STDs is to abstain from multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a vaginal, anal, and oral sex, or to be in a long-term sexually transmitted infection. The CDC also mutually monogamous relationship with a partner recommends that others with certain risk factors who has been tested and is known not to be should be screened. People who have gonorrhea infected. should also be tested for other STDs. For more information about gonorrhea, call How is gonorrhea diagnosed? the NH Department of Health and Human Gonorrhea can be diagnosed by testing urine, Services at 1-603-271-4496 or visit our website urethral (for men), or cervical or vaginal (for at www.dhhs.nh.gov or the Centers for women) specimens using special tests. It can also Disease Control and Prevention Division of be diagnosed using gonorrhea culture, which Sexually Transmitted Diseases website at requires cervical or urethral swab specimens. www.cdc.gov/std. If a person has had oral and/or , pharyngeal and/or rectal swab specimens should be collected for testing.

29 Hazen Drive  Concord, NH 03301  603-271-4496  www.dhhs.nh.gov