Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae (also called Gonococcus). Gonorrhea is an infection in the mucosa, in the urethra of both sexes and in the cervix in women.
Gonorrhea is transmitted through vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse and oral sex.
In males, symptoms include a yellowish discharge from the penis, associated with painful, and sometimes frequent, urination. Symptoms can develop from two to thirty days after infection. It is not unusual for men to have asymptomatic gonorrhea. The infection may move into the prostate, seminal vesicles, and epididymis, causing pain and fever. Untreated, gonorrhea can lead to sterility.
In women, symptoms may include a discharge from the vagina, discomfort in the lower abdomen, irritation of the genitals, pain or burning during urination and abnormal bleeding. More than half of women with gonorrhea show no symptoms, or symptoms mild enough to be ignored.
Gonorrhea is easily treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated can cause sterility. You can get screened for Gonorrhea at your doctor or a venereal clinic.
The best way to protect yourself against Gonorrhea is by always using a condom when you have sex, not just when you engange in regular intercourse but also when you have oral or anal sex.
