Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea The second most common STI, caused by the neisseria gonorrhoea bacterium and characterised by urethral and vaginal discharge.

What is it?

Gonorrhoea, also known as gonorrhea, is the second most common sexually transmitted infection and is one of the fastest spreading STIs in the UK today. It is caused by the neisseria gonorrhoea bacterium, and is passed on from one sexual partner to another during unprotected sex, or by sharing sex toys. Ejaculation does not have to occur for this STI to be passed on.

Gonorrhoea is most commonly reported amongst men aged 20 to 24 and amongst women aged 16 to 19, but sexually active men and women of any age can contract this infection.

What are the symptoms?

Many people experience no gonorrhoea symptoms at all. If symptoms do occur, the most common effects generally include bleeding, rashes, urethral or vaginal discharge, painful bowel movements and itching.

In men, gonorrhea symptoms can appear anywhere between five and 30 days after infection. Men may experience a coloured discharge from the penis, pain when urinating and an increased urinary frequency. A less common side effect of this infection includes experiencing swollen or painful testicles. Other symptoms in men include a red or swollen urethra, incontinence, rectal discharge and anal discomfort.

Common symptoms of gonorrhea in women include increased vaginal discharge, a painful or burning sensation when urinating and vaginal bleeding. Women usually experience less aggressive side effects than men, if they are experienced at all. However, this infection can lead to serious complications if left untreated, regardless of how mild or severe the symptoms experienced are. Other symptoms in women include urinary hesitancy, pain during sexual intercourse, abdominal or pelvic pain, a sore throat, mouth sores, rectal discharge and anal discomfort.

What are the risks?

If a gonorrhoea infection remains untreated, it can spread to your blood and joints and become life-threatening. It It also decreases your fertility over time, eventually leading to infertility if it's not properly diagnosed and treated in its early stages. Gonorrhoea also puts you at a greater risk of contracting HIV and AIDS because your body's good bacteria try to fight off the STI, leaving it vulnerable to other infections.

The infection can also cause epididymitis in men, which causes a painful inflammation in the ducts of the testicles, and may lead to infertility.

In women it increases the chance of an ectopic pregnancy, where a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, often in the fallopian tubes. As the pregnancy progresses, the fallopian tubes stretches which can cause considerable abdominal pain and discomfort. If it's not treated in time the fallopian tube can burst, causing internal bleeding and can even lead to death.

Can you cure it?

Yes, a gonorrhoea infection can be completely cured with a simple course of antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics are Azithromycin and Cefixime, both of which are prescribed together as a single, once-off treatment for gonorrhoea.

Azithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic, which prevents bacterial infections from spreading by preventing them from creating proteins and allows your body to fight against the infection.

Cefixime is a highly-concentrated antibiotic that can kill a gonorrhoea infection in a single dosage, together with Azithromycin. It belongs to a group of antibiotics that inhibit the bacteria's ability to develop cell walls, which causes the bacteria to die and allows your system to naturally remove the bad bacteria from your body.

As an effective gonorrhoea treatment, one 400mg dosage of Cefixime should be taken together with a single 1000mg dosage of Azithromycin. It's important not to drink alcohol for 48 hours after taking antibiotics as it may reduce their effectiveness.

Taking a test

It is very easy to test for this infection - you can choose to take an individual Gonorrhoea test, a Chlamydia Gonorrhoea Combination test or a Full STI Screen test. Simply place your order with us online and you'll receive a test kit in the mail. You urinate in the specimen tube and seal it in the transport cup, and then place the cup in the included pre-paid envelope and post it to our laboratory. They will perform all the tests and the results will be available to you online within two to three days. If you do test positive, then we can help you to find a suitable gonorrhoea treatment.