Gonorrhea Research
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by a bacterial infection. This is an infection that can spread to many other areas of the body. In men it usually infects the urethra, which is the urine canal, and in women it infects the cervix, the uterus, and urethra. It can also develop in the mouth, throat, eyes and anus in both men and women. This infection can also infect the blood stream and spread to skin and joints. A severe complication of the disease could occur in women by infection of the pelvis. Gonorrhea is spread from partners by contact with the penis, vagina, anus or mouth.
Symptoms appear early in men usually in two to five days after exposed to the bacteria, but it can take as much as thirty days and a few men may have mild symptoms or none. Symptoms are usually a burning sensation when urinating and a discharge from the penis of green, white or yellow pus. Women have very mild symptoms or none at all, and the condition may not be identified for several months – often only after an examination by a doctor because of her partner being diagnosed with gonorrhea. A few women may have severe symptoms including a vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding between periods plus a burning sensation while urinating. The diagnosis is more difficult to make in women because the same symptoms may come from a bladder or vaginal infection. Rectal infection in both men and women may cause itching, soreness in the rectum, bleeding and painful bowel movements. Infections in the throat may not cause any symptoms or just a sore throat. In women the most severe infection is pelvic inflammatory disease that causes abdominal pain and fever. If gonorrhea spreads to the joints or blood it can be life threatening. If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, there is risk that the baby will get infection as it passes through the birth canal.
All infections of gonorrhea should be under a doctor's care for effective treatment, as neglect of treatment will cause severe complications and permanent damage. The usual treatment is from antibiotics and it is effective except that many of the antibiotic drugs for gonorrhea are no longer effective because the bacteria has developed resistance to the antibiotic. However the doctor has many options on the drugs that are available.
