Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is transmitted from one person to another during sexual contact which includes oral, vaginal, and anal sex. Pregnant women can also transmit the infection to the newborn. It can infect both men & women.

It targets male and female reproductive organs, urethra, eyes and throat. It can affect people of any age group but is more common in young people of age 15 to 24 years. 

The disease is usually asymptomatic. Even when a patient has symptoms, they are often mild and nonspecific. The symptoms are often mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection in females. Swabs from the genital organs are taken for examination. The presence of bacteria is confirmed either through nucleic acid amplification tests or culture methods.

The disease can be treated with antibiotics. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to long term complications such as pelvic inflammatory diseases (in women) and epididymitis (in men). One can prevent gonorrhea by adopting safe sexual practices such as using condoms, dental dams, and avoiding multiple sexual partners.